With the Biosecurity Protection Levy on the agenda in the senate today, the National Farmers’ Federation is making one last plea to senators to stand with Australian farmers and #ScraptheTax.
NFF President David Jochinke said there was still a chance the Biosecurity Levy would pass the senate, despite months of opposition from right across the agricultural sector and the supply chain.
“It’s unfathomable this policy has made it this far. Let me be clear, the government has failed Australian farmers, failed to listen, failed to answer our concerns and failed to care.
“We’ve had constructive conversations with independents, Greens and the Coalition senators and hope today they stand up to bad policy and back Aussie farmers.”
Last week, the NFF and its members, comprising all of Australia’s major agricultural commodities across the supply chain, united to send a clear message to politicians and the public about why this tax is unfair and must be binned.
“From every corner of Australia, farmers of all sectors, states and territories united against this terrible tax,” Mr Jochinke said.
“It’s hard to stomach how the government is willing to actively go against the advice of experts, like the Productivity Commission and the Australian National University, to slap farmers with a tax that doesn’t stand up to the usual rules.
“Not to mention one that will make life cheaper for our foreign competitors importing food products to Australia.
“We call on the Greens and senate crossbench to do what the Government has not, listen to the farmers and listen to the independent experts who have said this policy doesn’t work.
“Where is the sense in voting through poor policy because of an arbitrary timeline. We need the senate to do its job, scrutinise this policy and see it for what it is: rushed, illogical and unsupported.”
For more background on the Biosecurity Protection Levy click here.
Ashleigh Whittaker
Stacey Davidson