Department of Agriculture and Fisheries

Queensland Budget 2022-23 · Palaszczuk Government

Minister
Mark Furner MP
Department head
Director-General Robert Gee APM

As at budget day (2022-06-21)

$608.3M
Total expenses
$27.5M
Capital program
$13M
2 tracked measures
2,108
FTE staff

Key service areas

Enabling Agriculture Industry GrowthQueensland Biosecurity ServicesFisheries and Forestry Industry Development

Budget initiatives

Drought Assistance and Reform Package$4.9MContinuingAnnounced

Up to $79.6 million over four years to support drought-affected communities, plus $150 million over three years for drought preparedness and emergency drought assistance loans, including drought resilience programs, freight subsidies, water licence fee waivers and rent rebates for drought-declared areas.

Farmers and drought-affected communities get freight subsidies, water fee relief, resilience programs and emergency loans to prepare for and recover from drought.

2022-23: $4.9M2023-24: $4.9M2024-25: $4.9M2025-26: $2.5M

General Government operating. Up to $79.6 million over 4 years from 2022-23 (plus $150 million over 3 years for drought loans). $4.9 million is the 2022-23 Drought Assistance and Reform Package expense line in the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries; additional relief is delivered as revenue foregone and held centrally.

Fire Ant Suppression Taskforce$8MNewAnnounced

$37.1 million over five years to establish a joint taskforce overseeing red imported fire ant suppression activities by local governments, industry and the Queensland Government, supporting the National Red Imported Fire Ant Eradication Program.

A dedicated taskforce coordinates the fight against red imported fire ants, protecting communities, agriculture and the environment.

2021-22: $5M2022-23: $8M2023-24: $8M2024-25: $8M2025-26: $8.1M

General Government operating, $37.1 million over 5 years (Fire Ant Suppression Taskforce: $5 million in 2021-22 plus around $8 million per year). $8 million is the 2022-23 expense line.

Forward estimates

Year-by-year allocations for 2 measures with published forward profiles.

Measure2021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26Total
Drought Assistance and Reform Package$4.9M$4.9M$4.9M$2.5M$17.2M
Fire Ant Suppression Taskforce$5M$8M$8M$8M$8.1M$37.1M
Total$5.0M$12.9M$12.9M$12.9M$10.6M$54.3M

Performance metrics

Service standards from the Service Delivery Statement. Targets and actuals as published.

MetricPrior targetActualTarget
2024-252024-252025-26
Percentage of primary producers adopting drought and climate resilient practices as a result of DAF supportNew measure20%
Assessed impact of completed agricultural research, development and extension projects and/or programs (Benefit Cost Ratio)>4.0>4.0>4.0
Percentage return on research development and extension investment through royalty returns4%6.8%5%
Proportion of significant biosecurity responses that deliver the planned outcomes to safeguard economic loss95%100%95%
Percentage of key Queensland fish stocks assessed that are considered to have no sustainability concerns85%85%85%
Percentage of units inspected that are compliant with fisheries laws90%87%90%

Source: Service Delivery Statement. Prior target and actual are for 2024-25; target is for 2025-26.

Source document

Service Delivery Statement — Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (PDF)

Last updated: 2026-06-21. Factual information from published budget documents.