Federal Member for Cowper Pat Conaghan has welcomed a new $110 million initiative supporting Australia’s agricultural and fisheries sector by helping them export their high-quality produce into key overseas markets.

In addition, around $10 million in Australian Fisheries Management Authority levies will also be waived for all Commonwealth fishers, ensuring they do not have to pay Commonwealth levies for the remainder of 2020.

“I thank Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack for establishing the International Freight Assistance Mechanism to help out our fishery sector struggling at this time,” Mr Conaghan said.

“The COVID-19 pandemic had led to major air freight shortages and has disrupted supply chains around the world.

“And this unfortunately came off the back of the bushfires which had negatively impacted our fishing industries too.

“I advocated for assistance for our local fishing industry and I am pleased it is being delivered after several weeks of consultation with industry.”

Professional Fisher’s Association Chief Executive Officer Tricia Beatty said the fishing industry has been hard hit since January due to key markets in China being cut off to air freight.

“It is a relief to see the Federal Government’s COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Fund being rolled out,” she said.

“Our industry has suffered significant losses for months now and many of our fishers are facing the decision of whether to close their business or not.

“This assistance with flights and logistics should enable us to keep our hard won export markets.

“Now we have to safeguard our domestic markets and the fishers that heavily rely on them – we are working with the Government to identify additional measures to assist. I also ask that the community support our industry by buying Australian seafood and put pressure on the supermarkets to make sure Australian seafood is available to buy.”

The $110 million International Freight Assistance Mechanism will initially focus on the key markets of China, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and the UAE, with four key departure hubs: Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.

It will be overseen by Michael Byrne, who has been appointed as the International Freight Coordinator General. Mr Byrne has significant international logistics experience as Managing Director of Australia’s two largest logistics companies Toll Holdings and Linfox plus as a non-executive director of Australia Post.

Mr Byrne will work with Austrade to help establish arrangements with exporters, airlines, freight forwarders and industry bodies plus oversee the mechanism’s operations including advising the Government of destinations, freight selection and prioritisation.

The initiative is part of the Morrison-McCormack Government’s $1 billion Relief and Recovery Fund to support regions, communities and industry sectors that have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

For more information view the fact sheet here.