The three-year deal offers annual increases of 6 per cent, 6 per cent and 2 per cent plus a $1250 sign on bonus and back pay.
The first pay rise will be backdated to July 1, the second will kick in on July 1, 2025 and the final increase will arrive in pay packets on July 1, 2026.
Agriculture lending on the rise
The latest agricultural lending statistics provided by the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority (APRA) show an increase in lending to the farm sector of 6 per cent in 2022-23, reaching $120.5 billion.
ABARES executive director Jared Greenville said while the amount of debt had risen, the reasons point to ongoing investment in the sector.
“Farmers are taking on debt so they can invest back into their businesses,” he said.
“We’re particularly seeing more land purchases, showing that the farmers who are taking on higher debt are expanding their businesses.”
The distribution of debt across farms is uneven. In 2022–23, 5 per cent of broadacre and dairy farms (mostly very large farms in terms of turnover) accounted for just under 40 per cent of aggregate debt, whereas nearly 50 per cent of broadacre and dairy farms had very little or no debt.
Trends in farm debt: Agricultural lending data 2022–23 can be read here: https://www.agriculture.gov.au/abares/research-topics/surveys/farm-debt
It’s not worth the risk
As the weather warms up, Goulburn-Murray Water is reiterating the risks of swimming in irrigation channels.
G-MW water delivery services general manager Warren Blyth said people should not swim in channels under any circumstances.
“We manage approximately 6000km of channels and none of it is safe to swim in at any time or in any situation,” he said.
“Channels can sometimes appear safe places to swim in, but beneath the surface there can be numerous hazards, such as debris, pipes, drains, strong undercurrents, and submerged trees and rocks.
“Channel banks can also be slippery, which can make it difficult to get out of them, particularly for children.”
Automatic operation of flume gates means conditions can change quickly and without warning. People swimming in channels can find themselves suddenly fighting against currents and can even get stuck in the gates.