Australia: Vegetable expo doesn't attract ministers

The Australian State government will not have a representative at the National Vegetable Expo at Werribee this week. Agriculture Minister Peter Walsh declined to attend, and no other minister was sent in his place, despite the fact the expo represents Australia's $3,023 million vegetable industry, which employs 63,000 people.

The expo is only held every second year, and runs today and tomorrow. "I find it amazing that there are no ministers attending," Vegetables Victoria president David Wallace said.

However, Mr Walsh says he was unable to attend the event due to other commitments.

"The Minister's diary confirms that he is not attending the Expo due to previous commitments - this morning in his electorate of Swan Hill, and this afternoon and tomorrow in Sydney where he is representing the interests of all Victorian farmers, including vegetable growers, at SCoPI - the Council of Australian Government's Standing Council on Primary Industries,'' a government spokeswoman said.

"The Minister received an invitation to attend the event, which he declined on February 1. "A request for another Minister to represent on his behalf was not made.''

Source: weeklytimesnow.com.au