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The Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Food Security, John Cobb said he was not surprised the Minister for Agriculture, Tony Burke was targeting the Drought Exceptional Circumstance Interest Rate Subsidy (IRS) because the Labor Party had never been a friend of agriculture or small business.
Mr Cobb said to claim the interest rate subsidy was ‘illogical’ and did ‘more harm than good’ showed just how out of touch Mr Burke was with farmers who have battled more than eight years of drought.
“Even the best farmers have found themselves in debt following three failed wheat crops in a row.”
“Without the EC Interest Rate Subsidy it is doubtful whether some farmers would even be able to get carry on finance to plant this years wheat crop or buy sheep or cattle to restock,”
“Without the IRS there would not have been as much wheat grown in eastern Australia. Without the 2008 wheat crop Australia would have plunged into a technical recession. Agriculture is a major economic driver for regional Australia and the IRS has enabled farmers to plant their crops.
Mr Cobb conceded that the Exceptional Circumstances payments were not perfect however Mr Burke’s sweeping generalisations were nothing more than a front to severely cut funding to regional Australia businesses doing it very hard.
Mr Cobb also said the Minister’s announcement in relation to reforming the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) was welcome, but like all of Mr Burke’s announcements it came with no details and a vague commitment that at some time in the future further details would be available.
“We are still waiting for further details from the Agriculture Minister in relation to the Government’s response to the three drought reform reviews completed over twelve months ago and the Beale Review into Quarantine and Bio-security which was handed to the Minister in 2008.
“Unfortunately, the Agriculture Minister is just like Peter Garrett, all talk and no action,” Mr Cobb said.
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