I commend the efforts your industry has already made. In particular I want to acknowledge your decision to draw the export equalisation scheme to a close. As you probably know, legislation was introduced into Parliament on 2 July. These new arrangements will streamline regulation and lead to greater efficiency in the industry, allowing individual companies to gain direct benefit from their own innovation and marketing. The industry has also been engaged in discussion with my colleague Senator Judith Troeth, Parliamentary Secretary for Primary Industries, on further reforms that may be required to existing institutional arrangements for the dried fruits industry and, in particular, the role and functions of the Australian Dried Fruits Board.
Innovation is now a word often associated with the dried fruits industry.
You see it in new drying techniques, new developments in trellising, and your industry extension services. The most striking development came with the recent processing of the first commercial quantities of the Sunmuscat, an event of which the industry can be proud. I can assure you that the Government is conscious of the difficult times that many in rural and regional Australia face. And we are responding on a number of different fronts to secure a strong, vibrant future for areas such as the Sunraysia. Tonight I would like to draw your attention to two particular announcements by the Government in the last week with particular relevance to rural communities.