AgForce is hoping to avert what it describes as a tragedy in the making and be given a chance to sit at the table with the Queensland government to consider the future for the Longreach Pastoral College.
The last ditch move comes in the wake of the news that the Longreach Regional Council has decided it is not in a position to acquire the former Longreach Pastoral College.
The council was invited to acquire the college after the government decided not to fund a business case and plan put to it by the Remote Area Planning and Development Board last year.
This week the council announced it was unable to commit the required funding and resources to buy the site and assets.
Longreach mayor Tony Rayner said they had given the offer very careful consideration.
"We looked carefully at the whole-of-life financial implications, not just the purchase price, but the ongoing maintenance and repairs," he said.
"We looked at the legislative hurdles, what we can and can't do with the private sector, and we also looked at the RAPAD business case and what's required to make it successful.
"In the end we just don't have the money or expertise to do everything that needs to be done there."
Agriculture Minister Mark Furner said the government was considering the next move for its Longreach training and property asset, and had received considerable interest in uses for the site.
AgForce CEO Mike Guerin said they had asked for a meeting with the Premier, to try one last time to save the college for agricultural training.
"We remain bitterly disappointed that in the largest agricultural state, young people starting out without experience don't have a pathway to agriculture," he said.
"For three years industry has been cut out of the process, not shown the business case - having not been involved in the process of putting a case together, we don't know the base for the decision, but we do know ag training, and the unique prospect that Longreach offers.
"It's a practical, pragmatic pathway for people who want a less academic pathway, and it removes enormous risk from pastoral companies, and all the HR issues.
"We're very disappointed that we've got to here."
Mr Guerin said they would be asking if a halt could be called on the sale of the college assets so that they could have strategic conversations with the government about options.
Longreach mayor Tony Rayner said they didn't know what would happen next but expressed some nervousness, asking the government to carefully consider the economic and social development of the region when making its next move.
"It's possible the government will sell the assets" he said.
"We've said to the government that if that's what they're going to do, we'd prefer they be offered to commercially viable entities in a way that will maximise the benefit to our region.
"Ultimately, we want to see those assets making a long-term contribution to our economy again."
RAPAD currently has a permit-to-occupy that has been extended to mid-2022, and it is now unclear what will happen at the site when the permit runs out.
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Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
