Opposition red over Green Paper

Labor has accused the Government of failing to identify any new issues in its long-overdue Agricultural Competitiveness Green Paper.

Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce released the paper this week, more than 12 months after it was due to be released.

Mr Joyce has promoted the paper as an outline of "fresh ideas" on a range of issues for agriculture, in particular tackling much of Australia's water scarcity issues, with an outline for water infrastructure, as well as other infrastructure, drought support, trade and finance and is constructed into 25 policy themes.

But shadow agriculture minister Joel Fitzgibbon said the sector has had to endure more than 12 months of policy inertia and yet the document has not identified any issues not already well-known and discussed.

"Labor welcomes the arrival of the long-overdue Agriculture Green Paper and many challenges have been identified, but few new solutions offered," he said.

Mr Fitzgibbon has accused the Government of hypocrisy over the "trumpeting" of dams to be the headline result of the paper.

The release of the Green Paper included a water infrastructure options paper, which made a list of recommendations for water infrastructure projects across Australia to assist in meeting future water demands that could have the potential for Commonwealth involvement.

The outline of recommendations included a national water infrastructure roundtable in Canberra later this year to progress discussions with key financiers, constructors and industry leaders, involved in water infrastructure. Mr Joyce said growth in the agricultural sector depended on the sustainable use of natural resources and the right water infrastructure in the right places.

"The water infrastructure options paper was developed so that its outcomes could be considered as part of the White Papers on developing northern Australia and agricultural competitiveness," he said.

"We all have a responsibility to ensure our vital water resources are managed effectively to meet future needs, which is why I encourage those with a passion for agriculture to have your say."

"Earlier this year I chaired a ministerial working group to identify how investment in dams and other water infrastructure could be accelerated and we shortlisted potential projects that can deliver Australia's water supply needs in the future."

WAFarmers president Dale Park said the Government had done a good job canvassing a wide scope of areas affecting agriculture.

"What I would ask people to do is completely read the document and then make a submission with their thoughts on the issues," he said.

"The Green Paper is the result of around 300 submissions already and when more people tell what they like and they don't like, the better quality document you get out the other end."

Pastoralists and Graziers Association president Tony Seabrook said the paper offers a lot of platitudes that needed to be turned into action.

"The Government addresses the perennial issue of the over regulation of our industry, which is good," he said.

"Also we welcome the improvement of the efficiency of the native title system, which, in our view is long overdue."

_Key recommendations _

·A range of infrastructure projects including the establishment of "greenfields" developments to create new opportunities for farmers.

· Expansion of the working holiday visa program to boost agricultural labour.

· Expansion of the seasonal worker program to all agriculture sectors.

· Better links between public and private rail freight lines.

· Identification of regional air hubs which could be used to slash produce transport times.

· Water infrastructure building involving dams and irrigation projects.

· Consideration of tougher regulations to protect farmers against the supermarkets.

· Assistance to farmers to find new markets for their products to strengthen their negotiating position.

· Implement measures to strengthen the hand of farmers in their dealings with resource companies such as those seeking to extract coal seam gas.

· The paper sets out a series of principles which it proposes as a basis for nationally consistent regulations over access by resource companies to agricultural land.