Tension is building in the ranks of the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) agronomy staff because vacancies are not being filled and those who are working are spending fewer hours helping farmers.
Work hours are instead being scheduled for menial office work such as mailing letters, while support staff are being removed and district agronomist regions are becoming larger.
With fewer extension agronomists on DPI’s books, those left say they are being required to travel into other districts to cover for colleagues who have resigned.
The State Opposition intends to grill the Government during the Budget estimates debates in the coming months over the absence of employees in the agricultural public sector.
Legislative Council member for The Nationals, Rick Colless, this week labelled it “a disgrace”.
“I can’t see why they’re not filling these positions,” said Mr Colless, who formerly worked with the Department of Land and Water Conservation’s soil conservation division.
Out in the field, Moree has both its district “agro” jobs vacant, with one position unfilled for several months.
The district, often promoted as one of Australia’s most productive agriculture shires, now relies on a technical officer from Narrabri, Tony Cox, who also has to travel hundreds of kilometres to Delungra and Coonamble to conduct crop trials.
An agronomist’s position at Parkes has been vacant for a year and Coonamble has not had a DPI agronomist since February.
As well, DPI offices at Coonabarabran and Coonamble have each lost a technical assistant, with no plans to replace them.
Farmers are worried about being forced to turn to agronomists working for private companies, which can raise the question of vested interest.
However, the Department of Primary Industries maintains there remains “a solid frontline” of staff and that it will eventually fill all the vacant positions.
From The Land, July 3, 2008.