The adjustment by the Rudd Labor Government to allow beef imports from countries affected by bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) raises one question: why?
Senator Fiona Nash, Deputy Leader of the Nationals in the Senate and Senator for NSW, said she had serious concerns with the change to Australia’s imported food policy settings, as announced by three ministers and a parliamentary secretary.
“The Labor Government is pressuring the Senate to pass into a law a new tax, the Emissions Trading Scheme, but BSE-affected countries are unlikely to have such a restrictive tax on their economies. Not only will beef producers in those countries have the advantage of access to Australian markets, but they will be selling cheaper meat.
“With the rising Australian dollar, US beef imports will be more attractive to the major supermarkets who have shown that their loyalty to buying Australia is only as deep as the next media campaign.
“This is just another big blow to Australia’s food producers who will be forced out of business in their domestic market. The playing field has stopped being level and is beginning to look more like an obstacle course.
“While the Government promises that strict controls will keep any BSE out, it has cut $37 million from the AQIS budget, resulting in a loss of 125 jobs.
“This is the same Government that tried to tie the delivery of funds necessary for AQIS reforms to the safe passage through Parliament of a revised fee structure for export certification.”
There are currently no comments, be the first to post one.