LNP axes biosecurity levy jeopardising farmers with imported disease
Federal member for Kennedy in Far North Queensland, Bob Katter said the next person to talk about Australia’s ‘clean, green image’ should be shot by the firing squad, after the Agriculture Minister axed a biosecurity levy designed to protect Australian farmers from pests and diseases.
“We are a net importer of fruit and vegetables, I repeat a net importer, and we are bringing in fruit and vegetables from across the world,” he said.
“If you have no border protection and check only 0.1% of the products coming in (that’s one grape in a thousand), then you are hardly clean and green.
“Ultimately every single disease foreign countries have, we will have.
“This has proven to be true in recent times with the introduction of noxious pests and diseases like the Fall Armyworm, banana-destroying Panama disease, and the destruction of prawn farming from White Spot disease.
“Quarantine has virtually been abolished in Australia; it is farcical.”
The KAP policy is to implement a 10% charge on everything coming into the country.
“That is to pay for the necessary policing of a country with one of the world’s largest coastlines,” he said.
“We have no protection currently. That levy would boost our biosecurity operation.”
Posted on May 24, 2020, in Farmers, Liberal Party of Australia, LNP and tagged biosecrurity, horticulture levy. Bookmark the permalink. 5 Comments.
How much did the white spot disease cost this nation and suspect prawns are still coming in coles and Woolworths are making the rules. Stop importing 3rd grade fruit and vegetables . When we grow 1st grade in Australia..
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Biosecurity for food imports is in federal jurisdiction so lets hope the primary producer bodies pursue the feds. Unfortunately groups such as the Qld Farmers Federation, the NFF and Agforce are funded by state and federal governments and as such are beholden to the hand that feeds them. These groups also function as a training ground for budding National Party (hopeless) politicians.Editor
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Yeah; we’re slipping as a Nation, thanks to the large number politicians being self-centred sociopaths! Money, money; me, me, me!
Is the next bioweapon going to reach Australia through our imported garbage!
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The QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT CORPORATION will have to accept full commercial liability forall loss, harm and injury incurred by their POLICY. Gary
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I was in contact a few weeks ago with Pork Australia, because a Margot Andrea, from that crowd-the peak body, it seems, for pig farmers-were concerned that the swine flu that has emerged in New Guinea might make its way to Australia.Andrea appeared on Landline a few weeks ago: African Swine Fever: Australia’s pork industry on high alert
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Australian pork producers are on high alert to protect their industry from a biosecurity threat of a different k… |
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I wouldn’t be surprised if it got released deliberately. Must ring them again to see what the SOA is?
Gary
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