20 July 2010

2 minute read

Oceania

Mr Bellinger said: “The Australian beef productive sector is in trouble, prices are at a level we saw in the early 1970’s but meanwhile costs have gone through the roof and this situation is unsustainable.”

1500 beef producers attended two meetings, one at Armidale in late February and the other at Rockhampton last week. At both meetings they were attending to protest against the Red Meat Industry Structure and its on-going failure in improving the returns to beef producers, while increasing the regulatory burdens that are decimating beef producers’ incomes.

The then Federal Primary Industry Minister Tony Burke refused the invitations to attend both key industry meetings, nor in his absence did he bother to send a representative from his Department. The ABA says that his ‘listening’ days are obviously well and truly over.

"His inability to engage with cattlemen at a grass roots level illustrates how out of his depth he is with his Agricultural Portfolio. Tony Burke was Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, as well as for Minister for Sustainable Population but there is nothing sustainable about what is happening in agriculture, through his lack of interest or ability to improve what is occurring to the rural area.

"His neglect of the Ministry and lack of interest in this portfolio is more that apparent. Minister Burke, along with all politicians, must remember that more sustainable profits for all primary agriculture industries, will lead to more sustainable communities across Australia.

“A motion that was accepted at Paradise Lagoons Forum was to demand that the new Prime Minister in appointing a Minister for Agriculture would make that portfolio a stand alone Ministry and not have Sustainable Population or any other portfolio tagged onto the Ministry. We hope the new Government does not treat agriculture with so much disdain,” Mr Bellinger said.

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