05/08/2026
Disappointing……..
Well… you decide. How did our government decision-makers perform?
Following AHBIC’s recent announcement that the Australian Government will provide no support to the beekeeping industry, it’s hard to describe the overwhelming sense of disappointment.
For eight weeks, there were promises that the industry was being heard. Meetings were held. Roundtables were organised. Countless hours were invested.
Danny and the team at AHBIC, industry representatives, beekeepers, and many others worked tirelessly behind the scenes.
I know we had many one-on-one discussions with ministers, constructed detailed action papers, media engagement, and countless conversations aimed at finding a practical path forward and that's been exhausting let alone what AHBIC went through.
And after all of that…
Nothing.
Eight weeks. Tens of thousands of dollars spent on organising meetings and countless hours donated by people who genuinely care about Australia’s food security, pollination, and beekeeping industry.
All for what?
The people who keep bees weren’t asking for handouts. They were asking for leadership, action, and recognition of an industry that underpins billions of dollars in Australian agriculture.
Instead, they’ve been told “No.”
It’s difficult not to wonder what it will actually take for Canberra to understand the scale of this crisis. How many more beekeepers need to walk away? How many more colonies need to be lost before someone finally listens?
The silence speaks louder than the meetings ever did.
Point to note - Tom Smith State Member for Bundaberg did call me today to discuss and has promised to raise our concerns further.
