Consulting firm ACIL Allen's recent review of HAL has brought to light a number of issues that growers have with Australia's peak horticultural body. 

While South Australia's peak horticulture lobby, the Horticulture Coalition of SA, has not formed a view about the report, its chairman, Trevor Ranford, has. In his personal opinion, the review wasn't very independent to start with. "This was the report you had to have when somebody asks you for a report," he said. "Having been involved in the early parts of the review, I believe the consultants had a predetermined position, driven by departmental needs and that's reflected in what's come out of it." 

Ranford adds that moving decision-making power away from the 43 industry groups to the growers would make HAL too inefficient, and that claims of conflict of interest in the way Industry Advisory Committees decides how levy money is spent are 'over-dramatised'.

However, Riverland citrus grower and former HAL board member, Peter Walker, says the reports findings that the IACs are costly and conflict-ridden are accurate, and the current system is short-changing growers and taxpayers alike. "We're talking about $80 million [in R&D funding]. Most of it is going to peak bodies. Taxpayers are funding bodies like Citrus Australia, and some people may be fine with that but others are not. And that's the main issue, there is no transparency." 

Australia’s citrus industry plays down ACIL Allen review. It says abolishing the peak horticulture research body and starting again may be an overreaction. 

The review recommends a new grower-owned body be established, to tackle conflicts of interest in how levies are spent and improve communication with all growers, not just industry leaders.

Citrus Australia chief executive, Judith Damiani, believes the recommendation for major change is a response to only a small number of complaints. "There's very little concern in the majority of horticulture levy payers during this whole process. My question is if they only consulted with 2 per cent of the levy payers out there, really how big a deal is it for levy payers, and will they be engaged enough to pick up that baton and run with it?"

Apple industry urges cautious approach to reform, with Apple and Pear Growers chairman, John Lawrensen, saying wholescale change is a big step, after thirteen successful years of HAL. "This has been driven really by the squeaky wheel. I think there have been two or three, probably less than a handful, who’ve had some complaints, whether legitimate or not, about HAL and conflicts of interest.” 

He welcomes change to greater grower ownership, but he says there will always be some people who won't have a say. "Those that want to be involved will be involved. But the individual member’s chance to influence a company largely revolves around annual meeting and electing directors, and things like that. So I think HAL’s ability to communicate with members and industries, and remember that HAL has 43 members all unique in their own ways, it’s fanciful to think a new HAL will be able to communicate with all those sectors effectively without the industry bodies being involved." 

Source: www.abc.net.au