Model in New Peter Principle

The Australian farm lobby could learn a lot from Peter Garrett about how to become more cohesive, effective and financially secure.

Since he recently became a member of the Labor party much has been written about Garrett the rock star and environmentalist.

But perhaps the best kept secret is Garrett significant contribution to building and giving impetus to the Australian environment movement through the Mittagong Forum.

Peter Garret was President of the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) from 1989 to 1993 and then most recently from 1999.  It was in 1999 that the ACF Strategic Plan announced the need to "broaden and strengthen the environment movement in Australia".

The concept was realised through a series of meetings held in Mittagong in the Southern Highlands.

Garrett also lives there.  He played a key role in getting the big environmental organisations together including Greenpeace, World Wide Fund for Nature and State conservation councils.

Early discussion included methods to increase movement wide collaboration on issues and campaigns, along with understanding emerging issues and developing potential strategies to tackle them.

In 2000 ACF received a substantial grant from a philanthropic trust and directed the funds towards the Mittagong Forum, which has met at least 14 times since 2000.

Its vision is to, "develop capability, generate strategic insights, and to work collaboratively, to enhance the effectiveness of Australia's Environment Movement".

"Fundraising to increase independence of organisations and for the Mittagong Forum" has also been a key goal.

The forum recognises that different environmental groups will not "necessarily agree on issues", but says by working together they can more effectively achieve broad and specific environmental conservation outcomes.

The National Farmers Federation (NFF) is the agricultural equivalent of the ACF and perhaps it needs an equivalent forum.

The bush could do with an organisation that, "facilitated outreach and communication between its members, the broader movement, and the community" -- another Mittagong Forum objective.

The NFF problem, however, is that there is no longer a clear and shared ideology amongst member groups.

The NFF is a mish-mash of agrarian socialists, capitalists, technophobes and innovative technologists.

In contrast Garrett and his environmentalists are mostly socialists with technophobia.

But there is hope.  Some resource user groups are getting together to organise the Eureka Forum.

This year is the 150th Anniversary of the Eureka Stockade and perhaps a time to reflect on the importance of secure property rights and the liberal democratic values that underpin all free societies.

While the small miners lost that battle, they won the war including reduced regulation and better resource security along with the right to vote.

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