MEDIA RELEASE

Mick Veitch MLC

Shadow Minister for Primary Industries

EMBARGOED UNTIL 5AM - Monday 4 February 2019

NSW LABOR TO REVIEW LOCAL LAND SERVICES

A Daley Labor Government will hold an independent review of the scope and resourcing for Local Land
Services (LLS), if it is elected in March.

NSW Shadow Minister for Primary Industries, Mick Veitch, said there was growing frustration with the
performance of LLS under the Liberals and Nationals.

“As I travel around the state and talk to landholders, there’s a real concern about the role of LLS and its
ability to meet the expectations of government and farmers,” said Mr Veitch.

“Staff are doing their best with limited resources.”

Local Land Services was formed in 2013 as an amalgamation of several organisations including the old Rural
Lands Protection Boards, Catchment Management Authorities and some advisory services within the
Department of Primary Industries.

Mr Veitch said concerns were being raised that frontline staff were increasingly unable to meet the wide
range of demands placed on their time while a push to centralise services had resulted in a cost blowout in
the corporate services section.

Cost cuts and a top-heavy bureaucracy had compromised the capacity of staff to respond in a timely manner
to the needs of farmers and landholders.

There is a real fear that the “local” is being taken out of “Local Land Services.”

“Farmers tell me they are seeing less and less frontline staff. Those left are overworked and doing the best
they can with limited resources,” said Mr Veitch.

“At the same time they are seeing big salaries for head office staff and a blowout in corporate services.”

He said the establishment of the LLS in 2013 was more about cost cutting than delivering quality services and
advice to landholders with cuts to the LLS budget occurring since 2013.

Labor will appoint an independent review team to travel around the state to assess options regarding the
future of the service and report to the Minister.

The review will consider, among other matters, whether the organisation is fit for purpose as well its
capacity to meet the needs of landholders including the provision of extension services.

If elected Labor will commission the review within its first 100 days of coming to power.

Media Contact: Mick Veitch 0419 009 505 | mick.veitch@parliament.nsw.gov.au