Primary Industries Standing Committee:
Advisory Committees
There are three major advisory committees that underpin the work of the PISC. Details of the origin, strategic purpose, terms of reference, major policy areas and membership are set out below. In addition, there are a range of other committees, working groups and task forces that undertake work as necessary and, generally, report to Standing Committee through one or other of the advisory committees.
- Industries Development Committee
- Primary Industries Health Committee
- Forestry and Forest Products Committee.
Industries Development Committee (IDC)
Role and Terms of Reference
Consistent with developing and enhancing internationally competitive, sustainable and profitable agriculture, fisheries/aquaculture, food and forestry industries, based on production and processing systems that guarantee high quality safe products, IDC is to manage and report to Standing Committee as required on national and strategic issues relating to major policy areas for which it is responsible.
Major policy areas include:
- Primary industries and food manufacturing sectors access to research and development, a skilled workforce, physical resources, capital and infrastructure. Specific issues could include:
- Training
- Collaboration and commercial partnerships
- Technology transfer, adoption, adaptation
- Public sector R&D funding, capacity, infrastructure, national collaboration
- Access to resources
- Maintaining the sustainable integrity of the natural and social environment.
Specific issues could include:- Land productivity
- Ecosystem management
- Climate risk management
- Community and business/management capacity building
- Regional based value adding
- An industry operating environment that encourages investment and responsiveness to markets. Specific issues could include:
- Information gaps
- Industry adjustment and industry/enterprise adaptive capacity
- Biosecurity, market access, food safety
- Genetically modified plants and animals
- Organic farming
- Primary industries interests in trade policy
- A business culture that encourages entrepeneurship, understanding and collaboration through the supply chain and embraces innovation. Specific issues could include:
- Impediments to a competitive industry supply chains and structures
- Stronger integration and cost efficiencies with operations of complementary industries. Specific issues could include:
- Transactions costs
- Integrated value chains
- Inclusion of all social groups in rural and regional development. Specific issues could include:
- Indigenous and ethnic communities
- Rural women
- Youth
The Committee will:
- provide leadership and direction in the development of principles, policies, strategies and priorities;
- consult with other agencies, interest groups and the community which have the responsibilities and interests in relevant policy areas and report to the Standing Committee on emerging issues and initiatives which could be pursued;
- direct, monitor and review the work of subordinate committee, working groups, etc (see list below), established to advance relevant issues; and
- ensure that all issues and papers brought forward for information, consideration and deliberation by PISC/PIMC are clear, cogent and focused in respect to the paper’s outcomes sought, background issues, options, financial details and recommendations.
Primary Industries Health Committee (PIHC)
Role and Terms of Reference
Consistent with supporting the development and promotion of sustainable, innovative and profitable agriculture, fisheries/aquaculture, food and forestry industries and the priority areas/key issues identified by PIMC, PIHC will manage and report to PISC on national and strategic issues in relation to quarantine policy; animal, fish (aquatic animal), plant and forest health; agricultural and veterinary chemicals; and related matters. In doing so, PIHC will:
- advise PISC/PIMC of emerging issues and priorities of national and strategic significance and provide timely responses to requests from PISC/PIMC for advice on specific issues and priority areas;
- provide leadership and strategic direction to supporting committees in the timely development of principles, policies, strategies and priorities to ensure that PISC/PIMC focus on national and strategic issues;
- implement changes in and foster the continuous improvement of supporting committee approaches and work processes to provide PISC with the flexibility to deliver timely and effective responses to changing priorities and tasks and policy development and decision making processes;
- ensure consultation occurs with industry organisations, government agencies, other relevant committees set up by Ministerial Councils/Standing Committees and other stakeholder groups as necessary in determining priorities for PISC and in developing and implementing national and strategic policy responses; and
- promote the integrated consideration of the industry/production and conservation agendas, including through cross membership/forming joint committees with Natural Resource Management Standing Committee (NRMSC) high level committees, as appropriate.
Forestry and Forest Products Committee (FFPC)
Role and Terms of Reference
The Forestry and Forest Products Committee’s role is to provide authoritative policy and strategic advice to help drive sustainable national and regional development by optimising the full range of goods and services from forests and related industries. Its key priority areas are:
- the role of forests in sustainable landscapes; and
- industry development (and associated promotion and market development).
The Forestry and Forest Products Committee will:
- advise the Standing Committee/Ministerial Council of all matters relating to the forestry and forest product functions of the Council/Standing Committee;
- perform such functions from time to time as deemed necessary by the Council/Standing Committee; and
- consider any matter referred to it by the Chair of the Council/Standing Committee at the request of any member of the Council/Standing Committee.