THE NATIONALS “100 PER CENT SUPPORT” NATIONAL FARMER RALLY

Opinion piece
 
The Nationals will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with hundreds of farmers from across the country on September 10, in an unprecedented rally against Labor’s anti-farming ideology.
 
Federal Member for Dawson, Andrew Willcox said Labor is destroying agriculture and making life impossible for the nation’s producers of food and fibre, due to endless cuts to the regions, anti-farming legislation and unnecessary red tape.
 
“The Nationals 100 per cent support our farmers attending the National Farmer Rally outside Canberra Parliament House,” Mr Willcox said.
 
“This Labor Government has decimated our farming and agriculture industry in Dawson. It has been over 40 years since farmers last felt so aggrieved to protest against a government.

“As a farmer by trade, I know the challenges these farmers face every day, and the blood, sweat, and tears that they put into running their business.

“Witnessing what Labor is doing to wreak havoc on this industry is appalling.
 
“It’s easy to understand why our farmers are fed up, after being constantly attacked by Labor and its anti-farming policies, from axing the Agriculture Visa, to the introduction of the family car and ute tax.”
 
The Nationals are demanding 10 key changes by Labor;
   1. Reinstate the live sheep export trade.
   2. Bring back the Agriculture Visa and fix Labor’s PALM scheme mess.
   3. Stop Labor’s water buybacks in the Murray-Darling Basin.
   4. Introduce a container levy (so our own farmers don’t pay for the biosecurity risk created by international competitors).
   5. Reverse Labor’s cuts to regional infrastructure. 
   6. Stop Labor’s truckie tax and vehicle efficiency standard.
   7. Create a mix of energy, rather than Labor’s all-renewables approach, which is destroying agricultural land.
   8. Scrap harmful emissions profiles, or Scope 3.
   9. Stop Labor’s proposed taxes on superannuation, which will impact family farms.
   10. Ensure the 88-day backpacker work visa remains in place for the agriculture sector.
 
“These 10 key areas are crucial to farming, agriculture and regional Australia. The Nationals will not stop fighting until common sense prevails and our farmers get a fair go.”

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