Biosecurity and trade could be the sectors facing job losses and costs cuts as more details emerge on the serious financial troubles plaguing the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF).
Last week Agriculture Minister Murray Watt hit out at the former Coalition government over the financial troubles, but his Shadow counterpart David Littleproud was quick to point the finger back.
Mr Littleproud said Labor had turned a $88.4 million department profit stated in June 2022 "into hundreds of millions in dollars black hole" adding it will need a 'bail out".
In the transparency portal on DAFF's website about its financial performance, it shows the 2021-22 full-year result was a surplus of $88.4 million after excluding unfunded depreciation and amortisation and the impacts of accounting adjustments under Australian Accounting Standards Board (AASB) 16 Leases.
"That takes a certain type of skill," Mr Littleproud said.
He said when Labor came in and split agriculture and environment up, it was ag that foot the bill for the environment department.
"This mean regional Australia and agriculture misses out, which just goes to show where their priorities are," he said.
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Mr Littleproud said the Labor government needs to be transparent on how much was needed to get back on track and what programs would be impacted.
"There will be cuts to program or they will need to be deferred," he said.
"Everything will be under threat if they need to find savings.
"What we need are assurances from this government that the record spending we (Coalition) put into biosecurity is not where they look to find the savings ....and (they) need to give confidence to ag sector that they will not burden the bill."
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NSW Farmers head of policy and advocacy Annabel Johnson said reports about DAFF's financial were "concerning".
"DAFF is a critical agency not only in terms of securing growth and future productivity in farming but also in service delivery," Ms Johnson said.
"Agriculture is a key pillar of the national economy and the sector needs DAFF to be strong and sustainable.
"We are particularly concerned about what DAFF's financial situation may mean for biosecurity programs.
"This highlights why we have long called for a long-term, sustainable funding model for biosecurity programs. The government must focus on sustainable funding for biosecurity as a priority, and return DAFF to financial health as soon as possible without reducing the important work it does."
The Land put questions to Mr Watt about DAFF's financial situation but instead a DAFF spokesperson responded saying to ensure the department did not spend beyond its revenue "we have taken action to reduce expenditure".
The spokesperson said a range of cost saving measures had been implemented, which included restrictions on all non-essential travel and training, re-prioritising non-critical projects and a reduction in contracted workforce numbers.
"The department has done this carefully to reduce any impact on the department's priorities, service levels or regulatory responsibilities," the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said the department was continuously reviewing its work program against changing priorities.
"This may require the review of work priorities in consultation with impacted business areas -for example, work with time-critical deadlines," the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said the department continued to assess contracted staffing levels in conjunction with its work program and had commenced the cessation of some contractor arrangements as a result.
They said the department executive had worked with managers to implement changes having regard for the impacts on staff.
"During periods of change such as this, we provide a range of support to staff and will continue to keep them informed," the said.
Last week Mr Watt said the agency was having to "live within its means" because of the former government's financial management.
"Under a series of National Party ministers, consultancy and contractor fees blew out by hundreds of millions of dollars, and they ignored report after report that called for biosecurity fees and charges to be reviewed to meet the department's budgetary challenges," Mr Watt said.
"The result of this inaction is that the Department of Agriculture is now having to tighten its belt."
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