WITH the state election now less than five weeks away we can look forward to most politicians cranking the hype up yet another notch.

Alongside all the city centric banter that the media gives us, the rural voter will need to look more deeply to find what is really relevant to them where they live.

Those looking to secure a seat in Parliament should advocate policies and initiatives that will add to the profitability and security of farming businesses and the regional enterprises that support them.

They should have a plan to dramatically improve services to and infrastructure in the areas away from the major urban centres. These regions are responsible for not only producing the food and fibre our state and country needs but they also generate a huge amount of jobs and export income as well.

Many farming industries are currently under pressure and facing changes that few in our society would see as beneficial to our nation.

The good land and water that farmers need is under competition - and many would feel under threat - from extractive industries, as well as other development activities.

These natural resources are also becoming more costly and less secure and the cost of other inputs such as electricity have increased significantly, and it seems that this trend will continue.

Farm incomes are also being squeezed with the high Aussie dollar and the huge dominating power of the two large supermarkets placing almost unbearable pressure on many manufacturers, transporters and farming businesses and families.

While not all of these issues are under the primary control of the State Government this is the problematic environment that any incoming State Government must deal with.

Many dairy producers were interested in the comments last week by Katter’s Australian Party that they are endorsing an arbitration panel to adjudicate on dairy prices and the KAP’s Aidan McLindon’s commented further that the policy would inject some life back into dairying and to agriculture in general.

Shane Knuth, member for Dalrymple (KAP), also said his party had a goal to reduce the dominance of the large retailers.

I hope that such a belief in a fair market that gives a just return to all could be something we see from the major parties as well. Otherwise, the State’s dairy farmers and also consumers will pay sooner or later.

Whoever is the state leader after the election, she or he will need to take action on a wide range of issues to ensure Queensland can supply itself with milk and dairy products and a wide range of other food categories in the years’ time, given our rapidly increasing population.

Politicians must take a longer term view and ensure that the Queensland public receives enough return from any short term booms to build successful and sustainable long term industries for the regions that will be supporting the State long after the dust of the boom has blown away.