The offer of $20 million to appease Australia’s agricultural exporters was not enough to sway the Coalition to support a Government proposal to cut the 40 per cent AQIS Export Certification rebate, said Senator Fiona Nash, the Nationals Senator for NSW.
“It amazes me that when the heat is turned on the Agriculture Minister Tony Burke he just happens to find an extra $20 million that he did not have yesterday,” she said.
“Unfortunately, I did not share the confidence of some other Senators in his ability to deliver this hollow promise.
“Australia’s agricultural exporters would have paid with their jobs for what is basically a government service that is supplied in other nations as a public good.
“In Australia, our agricultural industries would have been belted again by a Labor Government hell-bent on adding extra taxes and charges to vital industries.
“As chair of the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee, I thought it only appropriate that we recommended that the Labor Government regulations be disallowed, especially as the Government tied the delivery of funds necessary to pay for the reforms to the safe passage of the revised fee structures through Parliament.
“Mr Burke has not answered the concerns that export markets and income would be lost under this proposal. Reforms are welcome, but not at this great cost.”
There are currently no comments, be the first to post one.