Growcom is pleased to welcome the federal government’s response to the review of the Horticulture Code of Conduct (the Hort Code) and looks forward to the implementation of a new workable Code later this year.
Growcom was heavily involved in discussions relating to the new Horticulture Code of Conduct and would like to particularly thank Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources Senator Anne Ruston for her efforts in working with a range of stakeholders to develop a more workable Code.
The Code has been a lingering issue, dodged by successive governments, so it has been refreshing to actually get some real reform put on the table.
We are very pleased to see that the government has supported the recommendation made by the review that the Code be amended to include civil penalties and infringement notices as this will give the ACCC some teeth in dealing with breaches of the Code.
In addition, the response recommends that all contracts, including those entered into before December 2006, now be subject to the provisions of the Code which will significantly assist in better uptake across the whole sector.
Obviously there are some significant details to be worked through once the new Code is released, not the least of which is determining what activities will result in civil penalties, but overall the reforms to the code seem sensible and balanced.
Wholesale markets are and will continue to be an extremely important component of the horticulture supply chain and we hope that a reformed Code of Conduct will deliver for all parties.
Growcom is looking forward to continuing its work with the government, its grower members and the industry as a whole to see the new Code deliver fairness and prosperity throughout the supply chain.
The new Code of Conduct will be submitted to parliament at the end of March 2017.
