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Seafood Industry Australia (SIA), the national peak-body representing the Australian seafood industry, has welcomed the announcement of the new ministers for Agriculture and Forestry and Fisheries.

“We’d like to congratulate Senator Bridget McKenzie on her appointment to Minister for Agriculture, the first woman in Australia to hold this portfolio,” SIA CEO Jane Lovell said.

“Senator McKenzie has been a strong supporter of our industry for many years now and we look forward to working with her on issues such as biosecurity, something that is absolutely critical to the seafood and other agricultural industries.

“We also congratulate Senator Jonathon Duniam on his appointment to Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries.

“Our industry provides more than 1 billion meals to families here and internationally every year.  We look forward to sustainably increasing that number to over 1.5 billion meals by having clear growth strategies for both the wild catch and aquaculture sectors.

“There is a feeling of optimism in the seafood industry.  The smooth delivery of the Commonwealth Fisheries Resource Sharing Framework, the National Fisheries Plan, and the mental health program are all very important to some rapid early wins for the Australian seafood industry.

“In welcoming the new ministers, we also farewell two outgoing ministers who have been both allies and assets to our industry.

“We would like to thank former Minister for Agriculture David Littleproud for all his work and wish him well on his new Water Resources portfolio.

“We’d also like to thank former Assistant Minister for Fisheries and Forestry Senator Richard Colbeck and congratulate him on his new portfolios of Aged Care, Youth and Sport.”

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