PREFACE
Terms of Reference
On 16 December 1993, the Senate referred the following matter to the
Committee for inquiry and report by the last sitting day in June 1995:
Value-adding in agricultural production, with particular reference
to:
On 8 June 1995, the Senate agreed to extend the time for the presentation
of the committee's report to the last sitting day in 1995.
On 28 November 1995, the Senate agreed to extend the time for the presentation
of the committee's report to 30 June 1996 . On 27 June 1996 the Senate
adopted a report from the Committee setting out the state of the inquiry
into value-adding.
Conduct of the Inquiry
Following the referral of the inquiry to the Committee in December 1993,
advertisements calling for submissions were placed in major national and
metropolitan newspapers and rural publications.
The Committee received 64 submissions. A list of individuals and organisations
that made submissions on the reference appears at Appendix 1.
During the inquiry, the Committee held 10 public hearings in the following
places:
Sixty two witnesses, appearing as private citizens or representing organisations,
gave evidence before the Committee at these hearings. A list of these
witnesses appears at Appendix 2.
The delay in tabling the report, as noted in the Committee's report to
the Senate on 27 June 1996, was due to the volume of other more urgent
work undertaken by the Committee since the inquiry was referred to it
on 16 December 1993.
Committee membership
During the inquiry, the Senate agreed to changes to the committee system,
including variations to role, functions and membership. New members of
the Committee were supplied with copies of all submissions and transcripts
of evidence.
Acknowledgments
The Committee expresses its appreciation to those who made written submissions
to the inquiry and who co-operated with the Committee by giving public
evidence. Those who made submissions but did not appear before the Committee
may be assured that their submissions have been taken into account in
the writing of this report.
Senator John Woodley
Chairman
References Committee
The Senate, Canberra
May 1997