Federal member for Kennedy Bob Katter has taken to the floor of Federal Parliament to voice the concerns of North Queensland’s farmers whose plight has been forgotten in the cost-of-living debate gripping the nation.
“Australian farmers have seen costs skyrocket – fertiliser, freight and packaging have nearly doubled in the past 12 months. Urgent action is required,” Mr Katter said.
“For example, medium sized banana farmers who provide work for 25-30 people face monthly bills of around half a million dollars. This equates to around $1.50 per kilo of bananas before the farmers have any return. Farmers receive about 20 cents less (around $1.30kg) but supermarkets charge consumers double (around $3kg).
“Farmers would actually save money if they did nothing but sit around and burn $5 dollar bills.”
The Katter’s Australian Party MHR called on the Federal Government to urgently act.
“Supermarkets must provide farmers with a minimum price guarantee that is higher than the cost of production,” he said.
“Supermarkets equally need to be accountable for the price increases that they charge Australians.
“We demand a strong Government that doesn’t provide a sugar hit to the Australian public.
“We demand a Government that provides real change to stop large multinational companies from continually taking advantage of our farmers and the Australian public.”
I said for ages no fruit and veg should be under $3kg. With inflation that should probably be $5 now. And most important, farmers should get 50% of the shelf cost..they do all the work!!
Nice to see Bob Katter starting to show up in time for the election. Has he been on holidays for the last couple of years?
Farmers markets are not only a good idea, used currently by millions of Australians, but as the cost of fertilisers, fuel, and supermarket items generally rise beyond consumer affordability, they will be the essential and central source of food for most people.
Expect government to crush farmers markets on health grounds or similar fraudulent regulations. That will be the time for citizens to lash out and crush the crushers.
Fail to do that and many will starve. This warning is been issued in every single country in the western world. Take heed.
Agreed. I can see it now as a vision. We’ve got a huge ex Bunnings store here in Midland WA. Tons of parking. It’d be perfect to run a farmers market alongside several small businesses selling other product. I see two problems (at least).
Firstly, the cost of leasing would likely be astronomical. This is likely to affect prices and dent profits in a what is perceived to be a very competitive market.
Secondly, when the next Federal or State sponsored scamdemic lock down occurs, its likely the business operating within the building (and outdoor) will be deemed non-essential. At the same time, the operators and employees of the big box stores will be deemed essential. We see here that not only the supply chain risk is at play. We see the outlets for products and services can be chopped off overnight giving rise to almost certain financial ruin and despair.
However, perhaps the potential reward may outweigh the hard risks and lots of new “live wire” farmers markets will pop up. I’d suggest retaining the Bunnings building idea. Perhaps though, car parks can be leased long term or school ovals or sports fields etc can be leased. Very large and small tents might be a good idea to reduce overheads.
In any event, part of the success of the idea will depend on the range and quality of the products available and price.
Perhaps the “Farmers Market” will include on-site services such as a phone fixing place, smallish coffee lounges, bric-a-brac stores, trinkets, stamps, war medals and a shoe repair and … and maybe a tattoo parlor and a kids playground [OK, not a good pairing] and … a mobile pub. In Midland WA, there was a market with all the above and more (maybe not the parlor) along with a non-mobile pub complete with singers and other artists who’d entertain the throngs of mostly happy people. Someone, it seems, put a match to it. The whole thing burnt to the ground many many years ago.
It wasn’t only the businesses and stock that were lost. We lost a great deal of our sense of community as we used to interact with each other outside home. Seems an ether or spirit or electricity was lost at that place. It carried on elsewhere, but our community was hard hit.
There were rumours for years the market would/could be rebuilt but in the end, an objective truth emerged and the markets in that place were lost forever. The site was sold years later to property developers. Retail buildings were erected and now the entire “site” is leased out to many largish businesses. Many would like to see the markets (or a version of them) return – even if it is somewhere else.
They truck the bananas down to Brisbane Wholesale Market and then truck them back to go into supermarkets right by where they were grown. They do that with all fresh produce!
Yes that is a better proposition Janice maybe contact Cairns councilors like Brett Olds or Brett Moeller. Ed
Perhaps we need more farmers markets. I would like to see one all week in cairns instead of the three day one we have now. They need to get into somewhere where there’s more/better parking. Somewhere like the old Bunnings building would have been perfect. They could also have other stall holders selling different products….