Patrick Desmond Rowley
| Patrick Desmond Rowley | |
|---|---|
| File:Pat Rowley.jpg Pat Rowley, Chairman of The Dairy Industry Council (left), and Warren Truss in 1999. | |
| Born | September 23 1935 (age 83) Melbourne, Victoria |
| 💼 Occupation | Australian agri-politician |
| 👩 Spouse(s) | Mary Rowley |
Patrick Desmond Rowley (born 23 September 1935) is an Australian agricultural leader. He was chairman of the Australian Dairy Farmers Federation from 1977 until 2006, during which time he assisted in initiating significant industry changes. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation described him in 2003 as "the most influential figure in the history of Australian dairy farming"..[1]
Personal Life[edit]
Early Life[edit]
Patrick Desmond Rowley was born to Charles "Charlie" Rowley and Lilian Henn [née] on September 23 1935 in Melbourne, Victoria. He is the eldest of four siblings. The family moved to Queensland, and established their dairy farm near Caboolture, north of Brisbane. Rowley attended Marist College, Ashgrove, a Catholic boarding school for boys, from grades 5-12.
Marriage and Children[edit]
Pat Rowley married Mary Monica Rospigaroff [née] on September 12 1959 at St Peter’s Catholic Church in Caboolture, Queensland, after meeting at a Junior Farmers gathering in Caboolture. After marrying, Rowley moved to Dayboro, north-northwest of Brisbane, where he and his wife resided at the Rospigaroff family’s dairy property, ‘Lac-Mel’ (meaning "milk and honey"). Upon Otto and Rose Rospigaroff’s retirement, Pat and Mary Rowley took over the farm, a move that effectively kickstarted Pat’s career as an industry leader.
Pat and Mary Rowley have five children together - Carmel (1961), Christopher (1962), Peter (1965), Catherine (1968) and Monika (1975) - and as of 2018, have a total of eleven grandchildren.
Religious Views[edit]
Rowley, along with his wife, identify as Catholics, a denomination of Christianity, and are regular parishioners at St Francis Xavier, Dayboro.
Career[edit]
Positions Held[edit]
| Organisation | Abbreviation | Position | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Dairy Farmers Association | ADFA | President | 1985 | 2003 |
| Australian Dairy Farmers Federation[1] | ADFF | Chairman | 1985 | 2003 |
| Australian Dairy Herd Improvement Scheme | ADHIS | Chairman | 1985 | 2003 |
| Australian Dairy Industry Council[2] | ADIC | Chairman | 1985 | 2003 |
| Dairy Australia[3] | N/A | Chairman | 2003 | 2006 |
| Premium Milk Supply Pty Ltd[4] | N/A | Chairman | 1998 | 2007 |
| Queensland Dairyfarmers' Organisation[5] | QDO | President | 1977 | 2003 |
The Deregulation of the Australian Dairy Industry - 2000[edit]
In 1984, in an effort to make the export of milk more competitive, the federal government undertook a Public Benefit test to examine the benefits of the current regulation levies in place across all Australian states. After most states failed to prove public benefit, the State Dairy Authorities concluded the results proved ending regulation would ultimately benefit the dairy industry[6]. Because the current legislation prevented the interstate sales of milk and other dairy based products, the government determined that deregulation would relieve significant pressure on the commercial sales of milk in Victoria, in which the largest production of dairyfarming, and manufacture of milk, occurred[7].
In 1999, the federal government announced plans to implement the Dairy Structural Adjustment Program (DSAP), a scheme that would be introduced nationwide to deregulate the dairy industry. This involved the removal of state and federal legislation surrounding the manufacture, sourcing and pricing of milk as a commodity. Deregulation would ensure a far more competitive dairy industry while simultaneously benefiting consumers by lowering retail prices of milk. Prior to deregulation, the Domestic Market Support scheme, a federal initiative, ensured that dairy farmers across Australia received efficient financial compensation for their contributions to the commercial dairy industry[8].
Recognising the inevitable and the chaos that would follow, the Australian Dairy Industry Council, chaired by Pat Rowley, approached the government in partnership with Federal Minister for Primary Industry John Kerin, with a proposal that would better prepare farmers for the deregulation of the industry in a commercial climate[9]. The DSAP significantly lessened the blow of the inevitable industry restructure, and provided dairy farmers with a choice to remain in the industry or to leave with financial compensation. A levy of 11 cents per litre was also imposed upon commercial dairy based beverages[10].
Despite a dramatic decrease in dairy farms across the nation, many farmers believe the effects of deregulation in the absence of Pat Rowley’s initiative would have been utterly devastating. The DSAP significantly lessened the blow of the inevitable industry restructure, and provided dairy farmers with a choice to remain in the industry or to leave with financial compensation[10].
“We could have let commercial forces take prices down and hurt people very badly. What we did was go in front of government, put all those facts in front of them and say we think that on the first of July there ought to be some help. We put together the biggest re-structure scheme in the history of agriculture, $2.1 billion, to farmers on the basis this game is going to get hard in Western Australia, New South Wales and Queensland, you need to use this money to get yourself into the new market realities to try and be able to operate. We never ever said it was going to be easy, it was going to be tough. There was very little impact in a state like Victoria, but we had to have a national scheme,” Rowley said in an interview for ABC's Landline[11]
Honours, Decorations, Awards and Distinctions[edit]
| Year | Honour | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Order of the Companion of St Michael at St George[12] | Awarded | In 1989, Rowley received The Most Distinguished Order of the Companion of St Michael and St George for his outstanding service to the Australian dairy industry. |
| 1996 | Rabobank Agribusiness Leader of the Year | Awarded | The Rabobank Agribusiness Leader of the Year was jointly awarded to Pat Rowley and Woolworths CEO Roger Corbett. |
| 1997 | University of Queensland Honours Degree, Doctor of Philosophy[12] | Awarded | In 1996, the University of Queensland awarded Rowley with an honorary PhD (Honours Degree, Doctor of Philosophy). |
| 2000 | Centenary Medal | Awarded | The Australian Government awarded Rowley with a Centenary Medal in 2000. |
| 2017 | Australian Dairy Farmers Federation (ADDF) Life Membership[13] | Awarded | Over a decade after his retirement, Rowley was presented with a Life Membership from the Australian Dairy Farmers Federation (along with former ADFF CEO John McQueen) in recognition of his 40 year industry involvement. |
See also[edit]
- Agriculture in Australia
- Category:Australian Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George
- Dairy
- Dairyfarming
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Raston, Kate. "Dairy Stalwart Bows Out". ABC. ABC Rural.
- ↑ "Dairy Shake-Up Good For Some". ABC: Landline. 25 June 2000.
- ↑ "Rowley To Head Dairy Australia". The Sydney Morning Herald. 25 June 2003.
- ↑ "Premium Milk Granted Interim Authorisation". ABC News. 17 June 2005.
- ↑ "Rowley Stands Down From QLD Dairy Group". ABC. ABC Rural.
- ↑ Lewis, Gary (2006). The Democracy Principle: Farmer Co-Operatives in Twentieth Century Australia (PDF). Melbourne: BPA Print Group. p. 64. ISBN 978-0-646-46587-6. Search this book on
- ↑ Edwards, Geoff (3 June 2003). "The Story of Deregulation in the Dairy Industry" (PDF). The Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics. 47 (1): 78.
- ↑ Edwards, Geoff (3 June 2003). "The Story of Deregulation in the Dairy Industry" (PDF). The Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics. 47 (1): 81.
- ↑ Fullerton, Ticky. "The Pros and Cons of Dairy Deregulation". ABC. ABC: The World Today.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Falling Price of Milk Leaves Struggling Farmers in a Squeeze". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2 July 2003.
- ↑ Lee, Tim (27 June 2004). "Dairy Farmers Rue Deregulation". ABC.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Alumni & Community". University of Queensland Alumni. The University of Queensland.
- ↑ Dowie, Carlene. "Dairy Stalwarts Recognised". The Australian Dairyfarmer.
External Links[edit]
- Australian Dairy Farmers
- Australian Dairy Herd Improvement Scheme
- Australian Dairy Industry Council
- Dairy Australia
- Queensland Dairyfarmers' Organisation
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