NSW Government neglect in the agricultural sector has been laid bare with the latest departmental survey results showing record low morale at the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.
The 2025 People Matter Employee Survey results show a sharp decline across almost every category of the extensive review which covered staff wellbeing, employee engagement, change management, purpose, and direction.
Nationals MLC Scott Barrett said it’s clear the employees of DPIRD have lost confidence in Minister Tara Moriarty.
“How can farmers have confidence in the department’s ability to meet future biosecurity threats when not even the staff believe they can?” Mr Barrett said.
The survey showed only 40% of staff now believe the organisation is making improvements to meet future challenges, down 9% in just one year. Just 51% of employees would recommend the organisation as a great place to work, down 10% on last year’s results.
In September it was revealed the Minister for Agriculture cut close to 230 staff from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.
“Pigs are running rampant across regional NSW, cattle tick is spreading further south than ever, and fire ants are continuing to be a huge problem in the north,” Mr Barrett said.
“This wave of job cuts and loss of expertise has left the department weaker at a critical time when farmers need a strong biosecurity response. This complete failure of leadership is clear as day in the latest survey results.”
“The staff who remain at DPIRD are doing an incredible job in the face of ongoing cuts and diminishing resources.” “It’s these frontline staff who do amazing work for the sector – not the Minister’s campaign of press releases and social media posts, ” Mr Barrett said.
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