By Grain Producers Australia Chief Executive Colin Bettles
THERE’S an old saying about what makes a good political speech.
Start with a bit of humour, end with a strong statement – and make sure the shortest possible gap exists between those two points
Last week at the Grain Industry Association of Western Australia (GIWA) dinner in Perth, there was plenty of opportunity for this golden rule to be broken.
A room filled with grains industry leaders, many good farmers, and a few politicians who’d all gathered to discuss the current state of the nation, or at least the Western half of it; including Jackie Jarvis MLC, the WA Minister for Agriculture and Food, Forestry, and Small Business.
However, when Colin de Grussa MLC took to the lectern, there was no need to worry.
In fact, his contribution was not overtly political, especially given WA’s State election is due soon (8 March 2025).
But it was well worth listening to and embracing the meaning and content.
Primarily, the fact is Colin – who was elected to State Parliament as Member for the Agricultural Region in 2017 and is the Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Food in WA – is also a former grain producer from WA’s highly productive Esperance region.
Caption: Colin de Grussa MLC speaking at last week's dinner.
Whilst Colin’s speech ignited some good memories for me, it also raised more contemplative thoughts about some very important concepts, further informed by reflecting on Colin’s experiences having been an elected member of the WA Parliament, over the past eight years.
Now, my motivation to write about this topic is not only because this speech briefly mentioned me.
However, the context of this reference is vital to the key point being made – the true value of lived experience.
Going about my business as an inquisitive agricultural reporter in the USA – on one of my regular visits under a US Journalist Visa – I met with representatives from the California Farm Bureau Federation (CFBF), in Sacramento.
The timing of my visit also coincided with a delegation of Nuffield Scholars from Australia, who were also in the building, whilst touring the US’s biggest agricultural State, as part of their 2014 Nuffield Scholarship programs.
Other prominent WA farmers with Colin were; Chris Reichstein, Bob Nixon and Nick Gillett.
Running into Bob and Nick last week also provide an opportunity to reflect on this incredible, unique, and coincidental experience.
Not least of all due to the fact, I penned an article about it, given Colin was also a candidate for the WA Nationals at the time, for the WA Senate by-election which was due to be held only a few days later, (on 5 April 2014). HERE
“This tour will do far more good for me and the (agricultural) industry as a whole because of the perspective it gives me and the other members of the group,” he said of his Nuffield tour which included visiting farms and farm groups in California, then Mexico, Washington DC and the UK.
“The experience is immense in terms of learning about world agriculture and Australia’s place in it.”
Last week’s speech reminded me of Colin’s unique life experiences – firstly learning about how and why farm groups advocate to their elected representatives in other countries. And that he’s since taken this knowledge and perspectives onto the other side, in the actual political arena.
In other words, he’s not only an Australian farmer whose learned about the good and bad of agricultural representation in other countries, he’s also seen it here first-hand, as someone with a genuine farming background, serving in an Australian parliament.
For reference, Colin’s Nuffield report is titled, ‘Relentlessly Positive, A review of programs to promote agriculture and affect policy change’.
This 25-page report is worth reading again, especially in the context of Colin’s journey. It can be accessed below.
But to summarise, and finish strongly whilst reducing the vital gap between the start and end of this article, some of the key points from Colin’s speech are also below.
Given my unique collective experiences with agricultural policy representation, combined with political advocacy, GPA also stands ready to explore similar ideas and concepts, that can strengthen farm representation from the grass-roots up – especially with a stronger, authentic, unified voice for all Australian grain producers – to influence positive, pragmatic change, for the greater good.
Speech Excerpt
“I have had the opportunity to see some examples at a global level of programs and organisations which seek to put agriculture firmly on the menu and engage the masses.
“Programs like the CFBF “Agriculture in Schools”. A program that developed syllabus aligned lesson plans for teachers so they could teach their students about the ag industry in California.
“We all know how time poor our teachers are – so “pen ready” lessons complete with contacts for site visits are a real opportunity.
“Or in the UK where the British NFU set up what is essentially a media branch within the organisation – to ensure that media organisations were using contemporary statistics, information and even up to date stock imagery.
“Further East in Germany, the FNL was created and funded by agribusinesses to provide up to date and accurate information to the public and media and to setup live farming demonstrations in the cities so the masses could see how modern farming worked and to demystify it.
“But one of the most interesting things I have been lucky enough to see is another initiative out of California that began in the 1970s. The California foundation for Agricultural leadership. In particular one of their programs……sees senior bureaucrats and political figures from Washington DC spend a couple of weeks on farms in California.
“They see first-hand the impact of their legislative and regulatory decisions on farmers and agribusiness. They also get to see the “practical” application of these legislative mechanisms.
“When this program began in the 1970s – it involved volunteers walking the halls of DC and practically begging people to embark on this adventure. When last I spoke to the organisers a few years ago now, they were turning people away, so popular is the program.
“Given the last eight years I have spent in politics, I can say with unwavering confidence that improving the practical application and impact of legislation and regulation on agriculture and agribusiness would most likely be well received.”
Ends
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