The effectiveness of Local Land Services and its implementation since January 1 was fiercely debated at NSW Farmers’ annual conference in Sydney last week.
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Many of the 300 farmers gathered at the conference raised their concerns with the voting processes for elected representatives with Local Land Services.
Their concerns culminated in a call for the NSW Government to implement optional electronic voting for Local Land Services elections.
On the floor of conference, farmers also debated the equity of the current voting process wanting a fair say for what they own, arguing for each farm title holder to be entitled to a vote in Local Land Services elections.
They also called for the chairperson of each Local Land Services regions to be elected by board members each calendar year.
Concerns were also raised about the roles and responsibilities of LLS’s and the declining levels of associated funding.
NSW Farmers’ President Fiona Simson said that farmers have continually raised their concerns about funding cuts to their agency which has prime responsibility for bringing together agricultural production advice, biosecurity, natural resource management and emergency management issues.
“Local Land Services is responsible for a huge portfolio of issues and ratepayers are keen to see their new agency deliver on all its obligations.”
“However, they recognise the agency is hampered by its broad remit while at the same time facing increasing budgetary pressures.”
Farmers called for Local Land Services not to be involved with regulation and compliance of native vegetation legislation because the Local Land Service officers were potentially placed in a situation of conflict of interest.
Instead they were calling for Local Land Services to make the eradication of wild pigs a state priority.
“Biosecurity is a major concern with pig numbers increasing and their eradication requiring different methods to that of wild dogs, Ms Simson said. “Local Land Services is ideally placed to help them in eradicating pest vertebrates which can have devastating impacts on farm productivity.”