Consultative and communications arrangements

Back to Contents | Next Section | Previous Section

The Dairy Adjustment Authority has a general policy of making information accessible, consulting on a regular basis with a wide range of stakeholders with relevant interests, including dairy producers, industry and government.

One of the first major objectives of the Authority was to communicate information on the Dairy Structural Adjustment Program to all dairy producers in Australia. This objective was achieved through a range of strategies.

The Authority contacted every known dairy producer via direct mail, inviting them to apply for the program. In addition, the Authority ran a wide media campaign, placing advertisements in metropolitan, regional and rural press, and issuing several media releases during the claim period for the Dairy Structural Adjustment Program (18 May – 17 August 2000). The resources of the State dairy farmer organisations and the dairy processors were also used to make contact with dairy producers to ensure that every potentially-eligible producer was informed of the Program. During the claim period, representatives of the Authority attended public meetings to inform farmers of the Dairy Structural Adjustment Program and to give guidance to farmers on completing their application forms.

Throughout the year the Authority continued to inform dairy producers and the community about progress on the processing of claims and the payments.

The Dairy Adjustment Authority website was updated as new information became available. The website was designed to present information simply and succinctly, without the use of graphics and other features that might impact on fast access to the site from some rural areas.

A toll-free telephone help line was established to provide assistance to farmers in completing their application and to provide information on the progress of their claim.
Nine newsletters were sent throughout the year to all names on the Authority’s database, including farmers, financial advisors and rural counsellors, providing information of progress of Dairy Structural Adjustment Program payments and answers to farmers’ questions.

Regular briefing sessions were held throughout the year with the Australian Dairy Industry Council (ADIC), and the Chair was invited to present at the ADIC Conference and Annual General Meeting. In addition, regular short briefing notes were sent to all State dairy farmer organisations, dairy processors and Members of Parliament in dairy electorates via email or fax.

Back to top | Back to Contents | Next Section | Previous Section