Page Labor MP, Janelle Saffin, is putting her own political survival ahead of the jobs of North Coast farmers and beef industry workers, the NSW Nationals Senator, Fiona Nash, said.
Senator Nash, who’s the Nationals’ Duty Senator for Page, made the call after Ms Saffin revealed her plan to shut down Australia’s $900 million a year live cattle export industry, through a Private Members Bill.
“Even Ms Saffin’s own Labor Agriculture Minster, Joe Ludwig, doesn’t support this nutty idea, saying he has no intention of changing the current policy,” Senator Nash said.
“Interestingly Senator Ludwig also said it was a backbencher’s job to raise issues from constituents. How many of her constituents in Australia’s beef capital, Casino, did Ms Saffin consult before developing a policy which would allow mad cow beef to be imported but not healthy cattle to be exported?“
Senator Nash said government statistics showed the live cattle export industry underpins employment of around 10,000 people in rural and regional Australia.
“We also know that mortality rates have fallen in recent years. In 2008, cattle mortality was just 0.11 per cent of animals shipped or only about one per thousand,” she said.(Source: http://www.daff.gov.au/animal-plant-health/welfare/export-trade)
“The rising Australian dollar is already putting heavy pressure on our export-reliant beef industry. The last thing we need is a ban that has nothing to do with science and everything to do with the relentless pursuit of Greens’ preferences by Labor MPs like Janelle Saffin.”
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