Ten federal agriculture policies are subject to an opposition pledge to be ‘fixed’, should it win next year’s federal election.
Federal Nationals leader David Littleproud said the ‘terrible’ polices were harming agriculture’s important role in providing fresh food and fibre to the Australian and worldwide markets.
“Our farmers are under siege, and I want to thank the incredible workers across our agricultural industries,” Mr Littleproud said.
“The Nationals 100 per cent support our agriculture industry, but unfortunately, farmers are struggling to get food from paddock to plate because of what Labor is doing to them.”
Mr Littlepround said recent senate estimates hearings revealed the 20 per cent fall in number of PALM workers in agriculture between July, 2023 and September, 2024 due to the government making the scheme ‘unworkable’.
“When supply goes down, prices go up, so families are also feeling the pain ... at the checkout,” he said.
“Only the Nationals, as part of a future Coalition Government, will help our farmers.”
NFF president David Jochinke said the nation’s peak farming body would have ‘plenty to say’ when the election was called.
“We will be ready to mount a strong campaign on behalf of farmers and agriculture,” Mr Jochinke said.
“Not looking to take the eyes off what’s in front of us right now, but this parliament still has major challenges in play.”
Mr Jochinke said the NFF’s focus would remain firmly on the government’s new super tax on farmers, immigration review and nature positive laws which it says are threatening Australia’s timber self-sufficiency.
The super tax amendment bill was not passed in the Senate on Wednesday, November 27.
“The super tax ... will impact farmers in every state and in every commodity,” Mr Jochinke said.
“While we had a win after it didn’t pass parliament last week, there’s always a chance the government will strike a deal if parliament sits again.
“With potential sitting weeks early next year and a federal budget ahead, we need to stay on the ball as all these issues have the potential to significantly affect farmers.”
Nationals’ 10-point policy fix
The Nationals have pledged to:
• Reinstate the live sheep export trade.
• Bring back the Agriculture Visa and improve the PALM scheme.
• Stop the government’s changes to the Murray-Darling Basin.
• Introduce an import container levy, to abolish the farmers’ biosecurity risk levy.
• Reverse the government’s cuts to regional infrastructure.
• Stop the truckie tax and vehicle efficiency standard.
• Create a mix of energy sources, rather than Labor’s all-renewables approach.
• Scrap harmful emissions profiles (or Scope 3).
• Stop proposed taxes on superannuation, which will impact family farms.
• Ensure the 88-day backpacker work visa remains in place for the agriculture sector.