Labor AWOL on dairy crisis

· Treasurer shows he is completely out of touch with rural and regional Tasmania

· Dairy farmers need help NOW

· Labor out of touch and missing in action

The drought taskforce needs to be urgently reconfigured and deployed to the North West, to provide assistance now to dairy farmers who are in extreme distress.

There is no time for delay. This week, members of the State Opposition have met with struggling dairy farmers and the plight they and their families are in is grave.

I was gobsmacked to see the Treasurer, Michael Aird, last night arrogantly distance himself from this crisis on the basis that he says there has been no formal request for assistance.

What planet does Michael Aird live on?

This is an emergency for our dairy farmers.

If Mr Aird and his government had bothered to visit North West dairy farmers and speak to them personally, they would know that assistance is vital and urgent.

Mr Aird’s comments sadly reflect a Hobart-centric government that is out of touch with the needs of rural and regional Tasmania.

Farmers need access to counselling support, and financial support – such as fodder subsidies or loans to help keep stock in condition. We have also been calling for veterinary assistance to be considered to assist with animal health.

Farmers are also concerned that they may face malicious complaints about animal welfare at a time when no matter what they do, some stock will inevitably be lost. It is imperative that common sense prevails and that the government lends a hand to help farmers keep their stock in condition, despite the appalling circumstances.

There must be a fighting fund to help dairy farmers campaign against the grossly unfair milk prices they are receiving, and the State Government needs to support it.

The State Opposition will also lobby Kirin, which owns National Foods, about the impact that the reduced milk price is having on Tasmanian farmers, and to ascertain why it is that farmers interstate are getting so much more for their milk.

All of this reinforces the need for a concerted and coordinated effort from government to get on the ground immediately to assist dairy farmers at a time of great need.

Dairy represents 24% of the value of farm production in Tasmania and underpins significant downstream processing. It is of major importance to our State’s economy and the difficult circumstances facing farmers at this time will have serious flow on effects for the wider economy.

The State Government is completely missing in action. It’s not good enough. This is another symptom of an 11 year old government that is tired, stale and out of touch.
Rene Hidding MP Shadow Minister for Primary Industries