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What Price Will Australia’s Food Producers Pay for Gillard
The Labor Party must come clean on what deal it struck with the Greens in return for preferences in 50 lower house seats. In return the Labor Party will direct preferences to the Greens in the Senate, all but ensuring the Greens will hold the balance of power in the Senate.
The Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Food Security, Fisheries and Forestry, John Cobb said he was gravely concerned that the secrecy surrounding the deal was bad news for Australia’s food producers and regional Australia.
“The Greens have already said they want to increase the mining tax and increase electricity prices and petrol prices through a new carbon tax. Bob Brown and co also want to get rid of the diesel fuel rebate.
“Australian farmers are already very concerned about their property rights and their ability to manage their farms and plan for the future.
“The Greens have made it very clear they want to tax our vital primary industries out of existence and now it seems Labor is only too happy to oblige.
“The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Tony Burke has already abandoned his agricultural portfolio duties and has gone missing in action. His refusal to explain the ramifications of the green preference deal is typical of the disdain he has for his agricultural, fisheries and forestry portfolios.
“The Prime Minister’s background, as a Member of the far left, means she has long had an affinity for Bob Brown’s more radical policies.
“In NSW, businesses are already struggling because of the massive increases in electricity prices. These increases are a direct result of the incompetence of the NSW Labor Government. Small businesses can not afford to pay for a secret preference deal to keep the Labor Party in power at the Federal level.
“The Labor Party and the Greens must come clean on what policy areas have been horse traded during the preference negotiations.
“Over the years as a direct result of Labor/Green preference deals we have seen a massive erosion of freehold property rights, forests have been locked up (and subsequently destroyed by wildfires) and water has been stolen from communities. Farmers have been banned from using large areas of their own land, fisherman have been banned from large areas because of Marine Parks, shooters have been vilified and taxes have gone up.
“If it is good for Australia why are both Gillard and Bob Brown refusing to release all the information surrounding their deal making,” Mr Cobb said.
Contact: Tom Chesson – 0418 41 5597
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