THE newly appointed Minister overseeing the state’s agriculture has predicted that water, wild dogs and building upon the Local Land Services scheme will be the big issues facing the portfolio.
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Goulburn born Nationals MLC Niall Blair was announced as the new Minister for Primary Industries, and will also oversee the Water and Lands portfolio. He replaces former Minister and Nationals colleague Katrina Hodgkinson, who was dumped from the role following a post-election cabinet reshuffle.
The primary industries field is not a new one for Mr Blair. He has a horticultural background, has worked as the Parks and Recreation Manager at Leeton Shire Council, and was a CEO of a workplace safety consultancy. Mr Blair told the Post this week while he wasn’t expecting a promotion, it was an opportunity in an newly expanded portfolio that he was thankful for.
“[The promotion] was a pleasant surprise. Every MP would love to have an influence on policy direction in the cabinet, but that’s entirely at the discretion of the Premier or Deputy Premier,” he said.
“There’s a number of Local Land Services, particularly in the Southern Tablelands, that are in their infancy, so there’s plenty of room for growth there.
“There are also a number of issues in the water space, particularly with the Murray Darling Basin Plan.”
Mr Blair also identified the finalisation of a wild dog management plan as a priority for the portfolio. Speaking on the expanded portfolio that returns Water and Lands in with the Primary Industry role, Mr Blair said it made sense to come under the one Minister.
“There are synergies between [Primary Industries, Lands and Water], and they are reliant on each other. Water and Lands issues impact on primary industries,” Mr Blair said.
“It’s about maximising as many opportunities as possible with those portfolios under the one Minister.
He cited the pre-election signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the state government and the NSW Farmers, covering a wide range of policy areas from native vegetation laws to young farmer finance options, as a key performance indicator for his portfolio.
“Certainly, the MOU between us and NSW Farmers, along with the biodiversity review, will be keystones against which I [as Minister] will be measured.
Mr Blair won’t be the only primary industries advocate in the Upper House; he’ll be joined by the Labor and Greens spokespeople, and predicts plenty of robust debate in the chamber when it resumes on May 5.
“There’s an advantage of being a Minister in the Upper House, as it allows me to travel across the state to meet with stakeholders and doesn’t limit me geographically to an electorate. There’s a range of networks I can liaise with on non-sitting days,” he said.
“It’ll be an interesting experience, particularly once we know the final make-up of the Upper House.”
At 38, Mr Blair is one of the younger members of the Baird cabinet, but says his age won’t have a big factor about the perspective he brings to Cabinet.
“I don’t think it’s about age, it’s more about the skillset that I can bring to the cabinet table. I’ve lived in Goulburn, I’ve been an irrigation customer myself and I’ve served in many of the industries that I now represent.”
Now based in the Southern Highlands, Mr Blair attended Goulburn North and Mulwaree High schools and was first elected to the NSW Upper House in 2011. He previously served as Parliamentary Secretary for Police and Emergency Services in 2014.