Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, , 6:13:14 to 6:16:57
A review of the $3.5 million funding for the National Food Security Strategy, its current drafting phase, and the outcomes of the co-design workshops.
Topics: Food security, Agricultural productivity
Speakers: Hon Matthew Canavan, Speaker 21, Matt Lowe, Unknown Speaker, Miss Victoria Anderson, Interjection
>> Can thank you chair. Uh look I just want to go back to the food security strategy. The the strategy was launched with $3 half million in funding. How
>> Just asked uh relevant officials to come
>> Senator. Uh, as at 31 August, we've spent uh $1,812,971.
>> Okay. Thank you. And so far like the outputs that I can see are basically discussion paper. Is that right?
>> Uh if that that funding goes towards um there some staffing costs for the team to develop the discussion paper their costs for our consultation co-design process and um so we engaged a consultant to help us uh do that work.
>> The a consultant did the discussion
paper? No, Senator, that was done by
>> the consultant helped with the communication the sorry the consultation and the like.
>> Yes.
>> Right. Um but just going back to my question in terms of like public outputs that people can read and see. So far there's just been the discussion paper.
>> Uh there's been the discussion paper and uh communicates after each of the food council meetings.
>> Yep. Right. I mean I've had a look a couple the communicates are just a few paragraphs really. Um, so I mean we're we're 18 months into this and all we've got is a discussion paper. Is that
>> In terms of a formal product in relation to the food security strategy that's public, um, apart from what Miss Stan mentioned? Yes, Senator. Um, I would just acknowledge that we're in a period where we're in I guess kind of quite um, focused development of the food security strategy as it currently stands.
Yeah, I just I it just seems very slow. So, we're not expecting anything else now till mid next year. Is that right? >> So, well, before we get there, the codeesign phase, is that concluded? >> What like what's the what does that mean when you say co-design phase concludes? What's the what's the deliverable? What's the output of that phase?
>> There there wasn't a specific output of that, Senator. So the the co-design process was a series of 36 workshops that we that we held with people around the country both in person and online. Um and all of that feedback is informing the work.
>> Are there minutes from those meetings?
>> Pardon?
>> They're minutes from those workshops.
>> Uh not minutes as such.
>> Are there notes taken?
>> Yes, there were.
>> Can we get the notes? Thanks, please. On
notice. Are they currently part of um government processes to um
>> that's not a reason not to give it to the committee. Could I ask on notice for the notes from those workshops? >> We'll just check
Senator, but we'll take it on notice and see what we can provide.
>> Uh thank you. Uh so the strategy drafting is occurring now. That's the process now. Correct. >> I don't think it'd be fair to
characterize as it's taken a year. Um
>> well it's expected to take a year cuz on the timeline the website the strategy drafting [clears throat] starts in July 26 >> and the strategies released mid next year. >> So it's a year
>> um it's a year which involves drafting Senator also involves um as you'd appreciate various government processes um that we would need to go through and be subject to as well.