THE member for Bundaberg is at it again, demonising our hardworking farmers for the sake of securing extreme green votes (NM 7/10/17).
As predicted, the member for Bundaberg and her Labor Party is launching an aggressive attack on our farmers and landholders by escalating regulations in what they claim would ensure “clean water for a healthy Great Barrier Reef”.
This sounds innocent enough, but in fact it is just another calculated move to undermine the viability of Bundaberg and Burnett’s farming sector in a desperate bid to win the next election.
Initially imposed on the sugar and beef industries in North Queensland catchments by the Bligh Government in 2009, the Palaszczuk Government now wants to expand tougher reef regulations to include the farming areas in our region.
The results of the reef regulations Consultation Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) are in for all the see.
The projected costs of the Palaszczuk Government’s preferred model of increased regulation and compliance as outlined in the report is a staggering $853 million in the first 10 years.
This will give Labor what they always wanted – a heavy-handed approach to regulating farmers and landholders.
In short, Labor proposes to build in a fixed overhead cost to the agriculture sector of about $128.5 million every year, for at least the next decade.
For our region that’s $186,000 for every cane farm or $93 million in the first year, and $30,000 every other year.
This scandalous proposal would clearly be a serious burden on our farming families and associated businesses through the supply chain.
If the member for Bundaberg continues down this path of relentless ideological campaigns, she will smash Bundaberg and Burnett farmers and landholders out of existence.
Stephen Bennett MP
Member for Burnett
13 October 2017