Industry speaks: Greenlife – the solution to a warming planet

By Hamish Mitchell, Managing Director, Speciality Trees
 

In the lead up to the 2022 Federal Election, Greenlife Industry Australia (GIA) is asking industry leaders to share their hopes for the future of the horticulture industry. In this piece, we hear from Hamish Mitchell, Managing Director, Speciality Trees, who wants to see policy positions developed in health, environment and taxation whereby greenlife becomes an integral component in the response to our climate emergency.

Our climate is changing faster than at any time in history due to industrialisation. Ice caps are melting, sea levels are rising and storms are more intense and more often. Over the last few years, we have experienced the worst fire season ever and recently, the worst repeat flooding through vast areas of the country. The enhanced severity and frequency of these are not one-off events but continuing signs of a planet under stress.

Global research states that greenlife makes a significant contribution to community health and welfare. It is linked to increased productivity, improved learning and improved physical and mental health due to its effect on reducing stress and pollution while improving the air we breathe.  It assists to mitigate wind and flood and it cools our cities.

Climate change poses the greatest risk to humanity. All my adult life I have talked about a changing climate, initially with scepticism and sarcasm, more recently with increasing alarm and belief of the body of evidence that simply cannot be ignored.

With this alarming risk to humanity, increased greening has the potential to be welcomed positively by all sides of politics. So too would a substantial portion of the population be open and willing to adapt to changes if only there was a genuine, more collaborative and committed drive from our political leaders.

Health and Environment Policy

Green space value increased markedly over the COVID years, and this has been well documented. A positive to COVID lockdown was growth in the mental and physical need for society to connect to the environment, leading to increased gardening, grow-your-own and associated outside leisure activities.

While saying a green focus was a saviour may be an overstatement, it spawned a more driven awareness of green space based on the restrictions and ill-health concerns experienced by all during the pandemic. Hands-on green was a welcome focus for many who may have otherwise experienced significantly poorer outcomes and longer recovery periods.

Climate Policy

The greenlife industry is carbon neutral or carbon negative so by undertaking any plant food production, increased urban forestry, community canopy cover, public revegetation or private gardening, we actively work to reduce the effect of climate change.  A simple policy position of 30% canopy cover in residential areas will be a gamechanger in urban forestry.

Tax Policy

Goods and Services Tax. Fresh food and health services do not attract GST, but greenlife does. Vital to the air we breathe and the soil we produce from, surely greenlife is environmental medicine and healthcare for us and the planet. Applying GST creates a disincentive to purchase and nurture this highly essential ingredient to better human and environmental health.

Tax deductions. As the benefit of green life is positive to all of society, why are not all the costs associated with greenlife tax deductible?

While there has not been specific research on the benefits this will have, there is evidence in the health sector of savings of up to 10% during hospital stays. If this was extrapolated across health at a saving of 5% this would be some $4.2 billion per annum, based on a health spending of $82 billion (2019-20).

Based on nursery industry data collected by Hort Innovation Australia (2019-20), there were $3.3 billion farm gate sales. Eligible sales that would attract the tax deduction would be retail sales worth $1.7 billion. Even when allowing for a retail margin, a figure of $3.3 billion. A budget saving of $1 billion on the bottom line and create a healthier, happier and more productive population.

This initiative would increase the turnover and margins of the greenlife industry and result in greater recognition, employment, training, wages and profitability within the sector, which in turn would increase returns to the government through taxation and productivity, with savings on welfare and on health costs. The environmental outcomes would be an almost accidental, free benefit and phenomenal, driving an opportunity for the general population to actively participate in climate solutions and make a positive difference to their children’s future. Make our cities more livable and more productive, the positive cycle then continues.

We as an industry need to change the way our product is talked about and seen. We need to see ourselves as health and environmental professionals who contribute to the betterment of our communities and their quality of life. Our product offers one of the few avenues that the public can positively embrace to reduce their climate footprint and make a better place for their kids.

It is time to recognise greenlife as one of the solutions to a warming planet and develop policy positions in health, environment and taxation where the promotion of greenlife is an integral component. The time to act is here and the momentum to affect change with a green policy-hungry population makes it our best opportunity to make a generational difference for the betterment of all.

Hamish Mitchell
Managing Director
Speciality Trees

NB. The information presented here is provided for informational and educational purposes. Any views or opinions expressed in this piece belong solely to its author and do not necessarily reflect those of Greenlife Industry Australia (GIA) or its board members. GIA makes no representations as to the accuracy and/or completeness of any information contained within this article or its links.