Cattle farmers want trade restored, not dole payments
30-June-2011
Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton has criticised the Gillard Government for their mismanagement of the Indonesian live export issue, stating the delays are slowly but surely destroying an important Australian industry.
“Julia Gillard does not seem to understand the urgency of getting this trade up and functioning again. The Government is moving at a leisurely pace, almost as if they are waiting for the whole issue to resolve itself.”
“The Government made a knee-jerk decision to stop the entire trade to Indonesia, without consideration of the consequences of doing so, and without actually finding out the facts before making such a rash decision.”
“If the Government had gone on a fact finding mission they would have discovered that there are twenty-five abattoirs in Indonesia that adhere to internationally agreed welfare standards. In light of this, they may have thought twice before condemning the entire live export trade to Indonesia.”
Mr Coulton has labelled the compensation package announced by the Government as “illogical”, stating that there would be no need for compensation if the trade had not been foolishly halted.
“The $30 million compensation package announced by the Government is not what these producers and associated live export businesses want. They want and need the trade to be resumed and the Government needs to rectify the mess they created.”