‘Green Paper’ pushes $18b red meat industry closer to overhaul

AN OVERHAUL of Australia’s $18b red meat and livestock industry is one step closer with the release of a Green Paper with options for the future of the sector including the role of live exports and manufacturing.

The Green Paper was developed in response to an overwhelming appetite for reform of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) put in place 20 years ago to define the roles, responsibilities and funding of Australia’s red meat industry bodies.

It outlines four options for potential reform: incremental change to the status quo; law of the jungle; a hybrid model and; a revitalised red meat industry led by a new organisation.

Lead reviewer and Red Meat Reform Taskforce chair Jim Varghese AM encouraged anyone with a stake in the industry to read and comment on the document.

“This Green Paper aims to comprehensively present where the industry is now and what a better future for the red meat industry would look like,” Mr Varghese said.

“Consultations with industry bodies and the broader business community have found growing recognition of the need for change to the way the Red Meat MoU and by extension the red meat industry, operates: change is wanted and needed.”

“Through the Green Paper consultation process, we are seeking to build a consensus from industry that change is needed so we are empowered to take bold steps to rewrite the Red Meat MoU.”

The Green Paper is part of an independent review of the MoU, which will help position the industry for a better future by having the best structure to meet increasingly urgent challenges including climate change and other environmental factors, animal welfare, low levels of investment, changing consumption patterns and technological disruption.

Stakeholder submissions close March 14.