Office of SuzieHolt4Groom
Regional Community Advocate
For Immediate Release – 23 August 2023
Soil Symposium to lead a national discussion on the need to protect our prime agricultural land now and for future generations.
The Darling Downs is among the richest, fertile soil plains in the world. Its black soils are classed as vertosols as they can crack and swell depending on moisture. According to Agtrend data, the Toowoomba region has officially been identified as having the largest agricultural economy in Queensland, valued at almost $1.36 billion. But that wealth is under threat.
Ms Suzie Holt, Regional Community Advocate, together with Mrs Liza Balmain, a local farmer, have organised a forum of leading experts to be held on the black floodplain soils in Cecil Plains, Saturday 26th August 2023 11:00am – 3:00pm. The forum will address threats and opportunities of national significance.
The forum brings together leading experts from across the nation including: Professor Peter Dart, The University of Queensland; Associate Professor Snow Barlow, Melbourne University; Mark Ogge, Principal Advisor, Australia Institute; Ms Revel Pointon, Managing Lawyer, Environmental Defenders Office; Ms Laura Harmes, Ecology researcher University of Queensland; Dr Madeline Taylor, Macquarie Law School; Scenic Rim Mayor, Cr Greg Christensen; Professor Matthew Currell, RMIT University; Adjunct Professor, David George, Griffith University; Dr Hannabeth Luke, Southern Cross University; students from St Mary’s College Toowoomba; together with landowners from both the Darling Downs and the Liverpool Plains.
The event has attracted interest from several prominent representatives including: Senator David Pocock, Independent Senator for Canberra; Mr Pat Weir MLA, Member for Condamine; and Mr Kerry Shine, representing Toowoomba Regional Council, The Hon Mark Furner MP, Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural communities along with Ms Ann Leahy MP, Member for Warrego, have regrettably sent their sincere apologies and regards for a successful event. Mr Littleproud MP, Member for Maranoa has not responded to the invitation.
"As someone who has lived and worked in the Darling Downs for many years, I understand the vital role that agriculture plays in supporting our communities and maintaining our way of life," said Ms Holt. “I am committed to protecting prime agricultural land on the Darling Downs from the impacts of fossil fuels and ensuring food security for our region, which is why I have brought together experts from across Australia to make this a national priority”.
Local farmer Mrs Liza Balmain states, “that there are very limited pockets of such high quality prime agricultural land like those of the Darling Downs and the Liverpool Plains in Australia”. These lands need to be protected and kept off limits to the extractive resources industries which severely damages our productive capacity and our nation’s food and water security now and into the future.
Ms Holt and Mrs Balmain are hoping the symposium will provide information and education, gauge consensus and discuss how to enhance protection for our most productive prime agricultural land, to provide food security for both our domestic food supply and primary export markets and to safeguard the economic benefits of our agricultural industries.
For more information on the Soil Symposium and Holt’s commitment to protecting the Darling Downs and ensuring food security, visit her website at www.suzieholt4groom.com