Labor Waste

Media Release – The Hon John Cobb MP

Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Food Security, John Cobb, said today the Gillard government has belatedly realised the extent of the problem it has created for northern cattle producers and the whole cattle industry.

‘Today’s announcement of a further $70 million to top up the original $30 million will provide some level of support over the next two years for financially stricken cattle producers who find themselves with 200,000 thousand cattle without a home.

‘If the government had stuck by its original decision to restrict trade to abattoirs that meet our animal welfare expectations this Gillard-led Labor government fiasco would have been avoided.

‘Unfortunately this stuff up has led to $100 million of taxpayers money being spent on a situation that was completely avoidable. This is the without doubt one of the worst economic decisions this government has made so far.

 ‘This $100 million is another example of waste and mismanagement and would have been much better spent on strengthening biosecurity, improving productivity and managing our national food security needs.

‘The total suspension of the live cattle trade to Indonesia did nothing to help the animal welfare cause – in fact, it sent the wrong message by also penalising facilities that have acted to deliver best practice reform, Mr Cobb said.

‘The best message the government could send to processors in Indonesia is that we will only do business with those who meet our expectations on animal care and treatment, sending cattle exclusively to compliant abattoirs. That would have been entirely justifiable and encouraged attitudinal and behavioural change.

‘The government ban of live exports hindered the whole process, it delayed the supply chain assurance and accreditation process, it shattered the confidence of the northern cattle industry and led to a national drop in cattle prices of around $150 per head.

“The government should never have imposed the blanket ban but this was a political decision to appease the left wing city MPs who were swayed by the distorted arguments of the animal activists, not a decision in the best interests of animal welfare, Northern Australian communities or relations with Indonesia.’ Mr Cobb said.

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