Ongoing attack and defence is part of advocacy | OPINION

Famous words (not last words of course) by a peacemaker at a pivotal point in history.

Many who pursue peace would have been thinking the same three words in regards to the completion of the recent federal election.

It is safe to say most will be thankful the election is over.

Plenty will have tuned out during the campaign, changed channel from the nightly news coverage, flicked over the newspaper pages with detailed reports from those travelling with the political campaigners, or rapidly scrolled (or swiped) over the headlines on their news feed containing anything of a political nature.

There is so much argy-bargy in the world it takes a toll.

Elections seem to only heighten that. Debates, back-and-forth quips, accusations, defensive retorts - it all contributes to a tense atmosphere.

A fair degree of the same goes on within horticulture with no shortage of strained declarations emanating against the industry and from those trying to defend it.

Look at the ongoing pounding match between the Australian Workers' Union and the National Farmers' Federation.

More than any other time it seems, the unions are bent on taking a blowtorch to fruit and vegetable growers, painting them as beneficiaries and enablers of worker exploitation.

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Highly provocative language is used to stir emotions about the unfair treatment of fruit pickers.

The NFF, and other industry representative groups, are constantly serving it back on behalf of industry.

They're not defending the mistreatment of workers but ensuring the point is made that worker exploitation is not an industry-wide practice, just the dodgy play of a number of rogue operators within it.

Are the shouting matches necessary?

They certainly make for headlines and attention, providing something of a subtle membership drive.

During an election campaign, this seems to escalate further with the hopes of scoring political points for the party that shares the same coloured ties as those groups hurling the mud.

In the age of short-form, algorithm-fed social media diets, it sure is easier to "release a report" pointing out an issue with much fanfare than it is to take the findings and schedule a closed-door meeting with stakeholders to try and come up with a solution or strategy to improve things in the future.

There are those quietly, peacefully, going about the job of improving and closing potential areas of risk (ie. food safety, worker integrity, product pricing, chemical use, water entitlements, etc).

Progress here is often made slowly and steadily, without glamorous amplification but with solid, achievable results and plans.

These are the peacemakers, not the stirrers, who see a bigger picture and hope for an improved future rather than notching up some quick points for the organisation they work for.

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