A re-elected Liberal Government has committed $10 million to improve safety awareness and safety culture in the agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors.

Liberal Candidate for Lyons Susie Bower said that making workplaces safer for farmers, fishers and foresters was a part of her plan for Lyons.

“While less than one in 20 people work in agriculture, one in five fatalities in the workplace occur on farms,” Ms Bower said.

“Lyons is an electorate with a lot of primary producers, and we need to make sure that they get home safely to their families at the end of the day.

“There was a welcome decline in Australian farm fatalities last year, with 46 fatalities being recorded in 2021 against 58 in 2020.

“But this number is still far too high and we must do more to bring it down toward zero.

“The Liberals will work with industry groups and primary producers to deliver programs that minimise risks in the workplace and improve safety outcomes.

“This commitment will fund project proposals across the country that address three of the investment priorities set out in Farmsafe Australia’s National Farm Safety Education Fund Strategy to help protect farmers, fishers and foresters.

“Farm safety is vital to achieving industry’s goal of a $100 billion agriculture sector by 2030.

“Only the Liberals will continue to look after regional Australians and build a better future for them as part of our plan to build a strong economy and a stronger future.”

Further information on farm safety and the National Farm Safety Education Fund Strategy is available on the Farmsafe Australia website at https://farmsafe.org.au/.