Speaker Milton Dick with MLA corporate chef Sam Burke and Australian Parliament House head chef David Learmonth.

AUSTRALIAN parliamentary workers, politicians, staffers were feted by red meat industry leaders in celebratory events featuring a bespoke menu and 450 burgers in Canberra on Tuesday.

Parliamentary champions of Australia’s red meat and livestock industry came together with leaders and representatives from across the sector on Tuesday evening at a special Red Meat Advisory Council (RMAC) celebratory event hosted by the Speaker of the House of Representatives Milton Dick, and co-chairs of Parliamentary Friends of Australian Red Meat, senators Susan McDonald and Raff Ciccone.

A lunchtime offering of more than 450 smoked Australian brisket burgers was served to parliamentarians, staffers, front desk workers and grounds people.

And this was followed by a cocktail style event for 160 guests in the Speaker’s Courtyard, featuring a bespoke menu of beef, lamb and goat meat hors d’oeuvres, including wagyu beef nigiri, lamb ribs, and goat tagine. Meat & Livestock Australia’s corporate chef, Sam Burke and Australian Parliament House head chef, David Learmonth, prepared the food.

RMAC independent chair John McKillop said the evening was a celebration of all things red meat and an important nod to the incredible people that make up Australia’s beef, sheep and goat industries.

“What makes our industry great is our people, our customers and communities, our livestock, our environment, our markets and our industry systems – and Tuesday evening was a celebration of it all.

“We are also very focused on sustainability – and I’m proud to say our sector is delivering on the plan to reach carbon neutrality by 2030,” Mr McKillop said.

“Most importantly, we’ve been on this journey since 2017.

“And we’re going to get there without compromising productivity or livestock numbers,” he said.

“We’ve already received great support from the government on this vision, and our achievements to-date, and we look forward to continued support from the Minister for Agriculture, Murray Watt, among the very many others who help us do our jobs – and support our people.

“Our sector is a major employer in regional and rural communities, with some 76,000 businesses and 428,000 jobs,” Mr McKillop said.

“We collectively service 25 million Australians and more than 100 export destinations every single day with nutritious, safe, high-quality beef, sheep and goat meat.

“In addition to feeding millions of people though – with the right policy settings and ongoing research investment we can continue to be at the forefront of the climate solution,” Mr McKillop said.

From left, RMAC CEO Alastair James, Speaker Milton Dick, Minister for Agriculture Murray Watt; Senator Susan McDonald and RMAC chair John McKillop.