Tony Mahar's more than 10-year career with the National Farmers' Federation (NFF) - eight as Chief Executive Officer - means he's become a familiar face in agricultural advocacy work.
As he leaves the organisation next Wednesday to become Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner, APlus News looks back at what lead Mr Mahar to the role, some highlights of his time with the NFF and what comes next.
Mr Mahar grew up in Canberra but got a taste for country life and agricultural issues by spending much of his childhood visiting family farms in Victoria.
Reflecting on those formative years, he shared: “that's where my passion for agriculture began. I just loved spending time there”.
Despite this early exposure, his career path to agriculture wasn’t straightforward. A passion for cooking initially led him to work in restaurants and hotels.
Mr Mahar describes himself as “a bit of a late bloomer”, referencing his ag business and commerce degree as a mature-aged student at Orange.
Mr Mahar's first job out of ag college had the heady title of business analyst for Elders, Griffith. However, the reality of the job often involved more hands-on activities.
He laughed while recalling that a lot of this role involved unloading dog food pallets with the forklift. "You've got to keep those dogs working," he said.
These early experiences grounded him in the day-to-day realities of farming and agribusiness.
From there, Mr Mahar moved to the Department of Agriculture in Canberra, working in international trade and industry policy.
“I just loved the economics and international trade space,” he said, describing his enthusiasm for seeing how government and industry collaborate.
His time there provided a strong foundation in the mechanics of policy and its intersection with agriculture.
Mr Mahar’s next step was with the Australian Food and Grocery Council, where he worked with major companies like Coca-Cola, Nestlé, and Kellogg’s on sustainability and product sourcing. He explained, “It gave me another perspective on the fibre supply chain,” adding that it was fascinating to see how large corporations influence agriculture and farming practices.
On reflection, he said he wishes he could say it was a grand plan, but Mr Mahar just took opportunities as they came up and made the most of them along the way. The next opportunity also came serendipitously.
Mr Mahar was alerted to the role of General Manager of Trade and Economics by the NFF CEO at the time - in fact they were interviewing for it the next day. The rest is history.
“In terms of advocacy, (the NFF) was the next level,” he said, highlighting the chance to work directly with farmers and engage in high-level trade and policy discussions.
Just three years later, he stepped up into the role of CEO.
Reflecting on his tenure, Mr Mahar shared his gratitude for the opportunity to serve the agricultural sector.
"I feel incredibly lucky and grateful, and really have never taken the opportunity for granted," he said.
Mr Mahar recounted several milestones during his time with the NFF. Among these was the development of a climate policy—a challenging but necessary step forward for the organisation. "When I first started, we were talking about climate change and whether we should have a policy or not," he recalled.
He vividly recalled the day, not too long into his tenure as CEO, when he challenged the organisation to take a step forward in the climate space, arguing that it was necessary to have a policy on what what a fast moving and critical issue for agriculture and farmers if they wanted to help shape the conversation and outcomes.
"It was really interesting negotiating the wording of a climate policy. Over time, it’s morphed into a climate change policy," he said.
The release of the 2030 Roadmap in 2018 was also a highlight, setting a clear agenda for the growth of Australian agriculture.
Mr Mahar reflected on the extensive consultation process that informed the roadmap, saying, "We travelled the country, bowling clubs and sheds, gathering advice from farmers to bring it together into one document. It’s been incredibly successful."
Mahar acknowledged the evolving challenges facing the agricultural sector, including mounting pressure from government policies and activism. "There’s been a bit of a tipping point in terms of the number of policies we thought were negatively impacting agriculture," he noted. Issues like the live sheep trade and the Murray-Darling Basin Plan spurred the NFF to adopt more assertive advocacy in 2024.
This included a staged walk out during then Agriculture Minister Murray Watt's Budget Speech in May and a Parliament House protest in September.
"Sometimes you’ve got to stand up and say, ‘No, this is not what we think is acceptable,’” he explained. While the shift to a more vocal approach has been impactful, Mr Mahar emphasised the continued importance of maintaining professional and robust relationships with government.
Mr Mahar will transition to his new role as Australia’s Energy Infrastructure Commissioner shortly after departing the NFF.
The position will see him navigating contentious issues and engaging with diverse stakeholders.
Farmers have expressed optimism about having someone with Mr Mahar’s agricultural background in the role.
"I want to be clear about expectations. I'm not providing a knight riding on a white horse to save everything, to settle everything, but I definitely have an understanding of agriculture communities, I've also worked with corporates, and I understand business, the importance of transparency and engagement," he said.
He said he expected to be doing a lot of travel and to be communicating, engaging and importantly providing that transparency that can be lacking in this space at the moment.
As he prepares to move on, Mr Mahar reflected on the privilege of working with talented individuals within and outside the NFF. "It has been a brilliant job," he said. "The people I’ve worked with and the places I’ve been have allowed me to see agriculture at its best."
Mr Mahar will officially conclude his tenure as NFF CEO on Wednesday, December 18. The search to replace him continues.
