2008 NTCA Yearbook - Northern Territory Cattlemen's Association

Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association IncorporatedAdvancing and Protecting the Interests of Cattle Producers in the Northern TerritoryNTCA President’s ReportNTCA Annual Conference 2008As I wind up my second year as President of thisproud and robust organization, it gives me greatpleasure to report that our industry continues along apath of solid growth. In tune with this trend, the NTCAbecomes even stronger and more effective in takingour issues to the places where they need to be heardand acted upon.Our strength is in our membership and in the skilled andefficient people we employ to get the job done on our behalf.When we lobby governments on issues of concern we knowthat the whole industry is behind us. The NTCA has on itsmembership books the owners and managers of most of theTerritory’s 216 working pastoral holdings, and of at least 98 percent of the NT’s cattle herd.Our close working relationship with peak national industrygroups such as MLA, Livecorp, and the National FarmersFederation was further strengthened in 2007 and our membersare able to benefit significantly from this solid industry bond.The past year has been one of significant political change atboth local and national levels. We have seen the long-runningLiberal-National government of John Howard ousted frompower and replaced by Kevin Rudd and his new team of Laborministers. We enjoyed an excellent working relationship withformer transport, trade and agriculture ministers, including PeterMcGauran who did much to encourage us to pursue our needsthrough the highest levels in Canberra. We are now nurturing anew relationship with a relative unknown in the new Minister forAgriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tony Burke. It is still far tooearly to tell how much support our northern cattle industry willreceive from the upper echelons in Canberra in relation to issueslike drought support, roads funding or animal welfare, but wehave made a good start.In the Territory, we have welcomed a former Primary IndustryMinister, Paul Henderson, as the new Chief Minister and alsolook forward to making solid ground in discussing governmentdecisions that impact on our industry and livelihood of ourmembers.State Of The IndustryIn the year just gone, the Northern Territory pastoral industrymaintained its status as the Territory’s third largest GDP earner.The industry is now based on a herd totaling 2.08 million headof cattle. It directly employs 1800 people and operates through216 pastoral properties spread from the Top End wetlands, Gulfdistrict and vast VRD to the Barkly and the often challenging aridred heart of Central Australia.Domestic beef sectorNeed some input here. I don’t have figuresLive exportsThe live export industry remained a robust and crucialcontributor to the Territory economy in 2007, and continued toprovide work for hundreds of people in the regional areas. Some45 per cent of the Territory’s total annual turn-off of 568,000head of cattle now feeds into the Asian live export trade.A record-breaking 265,000 head of live cattle where shippedthrough the Port of Darwin to South East Asian markets in 2007.The trade generated more than $180 million in export salesalone. The industry turn-over is heading towards $400 milliondirectly, and bolstering the economy in regional areas.The Indonesian market was again the backbone of our livecattle export industry, taking 90 per cent of all cattle raised inthe Territory for this sector. Other markets still on the radar forlimited supplies include Malaysia.With the live export sector showing no sign of decline, cattleproducers across Northern Australia continue work with industrygroups including MLA and Livecorp t build up domestic andoffshore partnerships and programs to strengthen their standingin an Asian environment of burgeoning consumer demand andmarket growth.The NTCA again took advantage of opportunities to joinThe live export industry remaineda robust and crucial contributor tothe Territory economy in 2007, andcontinued to provide work for hundredsof people in the regional areas.10Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association Year in review 2007-2008