‍Monday 17 August 2026

The Nationals have declared food security their highest priority at their National Conference on the weekend, with motions passed to back Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster’s prime agricultural land protection bill, with Leader of The Nationals Matt Canavan warning that Australia is sleepwalking into a food security crisis.

Dr Webster successfully moved a motion calling on all National Party state and territory divisions to implement the principles of her Prime Agricultural Land Protection Bill, while Senator Canavan’s first ever address as Leader to the Conference warned that food production in Australia is not keeping up with increasing population and consumption rates.

“Australia’s food security is absolutely paramount, but too many projects driven by Labor government policy and subsidies is alienating our best food producing land,” Dr Webster said.

“I proudly voted for successful motions moved by The Nationals for Regional Victoria making it clear The Nationals, across the nation, will not let energy and mineral sands mining trash our farmland or disrespect our farmers.”

Senator Canavan said that in this century, Australia’s population has grown by 50 per cent but the volume of our food production has grown by just 30 per cent.

“Do the math – our nation is sleepwalking into a food security crisis,” Dr Webster said.

The Nationals’ modelling shows by 2040 projected shortfalls could include;

·         One in two bacon rashes – or 50 per cent of pork.

·         Two in five blocks of butter – or 40 per cent of butter.

·         One in five eggs – or 21 per cent of eggs.

·         One in six apples – or 16 per cent of apples.

·         One in six chickens – or 15 per cent of chickens.

·         One in six bags of rice – or 15 per cent of rice.

“Forget being able to eat ‘an apple a day to keep the doctor away’ – it is frightening that we might have to import one in six apples - in just over a decade, or one in six bags of rice,” Senator Canavan said.

“We have been too focused on virtue signalling rainbow morning teas and not focused enough on the water, energy, fertiliser and farmers that are needed to get the food there in the first place.”

Dr Webster noted that a late and successful urgency motion at the conference also declared The Nationals’ opposition to Labor’s policy for allowing large carbon sinks on major farming enterprises like Cobungra Station, with Telopea Downs in Mallee mentioned during the debate.

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