PARLIAMENTARY FRIENDS OF SOIL RELAUNCHED TO CELEBRATE WORLD SOIL DAY

The Parliamentary Friends of Soil group has been reformed at a networking event held at Old Parliament House on Thursday 1 December.

The announcement was made at the event, co-hosted by the Office of the National Soils Advocate, Soil Science Australia, the Soil CRC and Soils For Life, to celebrate the United Nations’ World Soil Day which is held annually on 5 December.

Federal Member for Riverina and Parliamentary Friends of Soil co-chair Michael McCormack said it was important to continue to highlight the critical role our soils play in sustaining life.

“Healthy soils means healthy agriculture; healthy agriculture means a healthy rural and regional Australia and a healthy rural and regional Australia means a healthy economy, which benefits all of us,” Mr McCormack said.

“Soils are all about sustaining life and this year’s World Soils Day theme; ‘Soils, where food begins’ points to the vital role of soils to maintaining, sustaining and creating life in all of its forms.

“I am delighted to have the Member for Paterson Meryl Swanson as Co-Chair for the 47th Parliament.”

Federal Member for Paterson Meryl Swanson said: “Soil health is critical to the longevity and prosperity of many vital industries, and this Parliamentary Friendship Group will be an essential forum for Stakeholders and Policymakers to collaborate.

“I’m delighted to Co-Chair this Group with the Hon. Michael McCormack MP and thank the Hon. Penny Wensley AC for her continued commitment to the role of the National Soils Advocate,” Ms Swanson said.

National Soils Advocate, The Hon Penny Wensley AC, welcomed the announcement at the function, which was well-attended by soil policy makers and advisers, land-managers and farmers, soil scientists and researchers, and industry representatives. 

“I am very pleased to see the re-formation of a Parliamentary Friends of Soil Group in the 47th Parliament, and thank Ms Meryl Swanson MP and the Hon. Michael McCormack MP for their willingness to lead and commit time to this important group,” Australia’s National Soils Advocate, the Hon Penny Wensley AC, said

“Membership is larger than in the former Parliament – an indication of the way the subject of soil has moved up the policy agenda.

“I am also pleased by the diversity of membership. The group provides soil champions with an opportunity for engaging parliamentarians, from the city and country, urban and rural electorates. Soil is cross-sectoral, cross-portfolio, and is important in every electorate.

“Several international soil stakeholders have commented to me that they would welcome having a soil-focused group in their own Parliament.”

The Parliamentary Friends of Soil group’s purpose is to bring together a non-partisan forum for parliamentarians to interact with land managers, farmers, scientists, industry groups and policy makers on issues relating to health and maintenance of Australia’s soils.

Shane Manning