Food Processors go hungry as Labor claws back $26 million

SENATOR THE HON RICHARD COLBECK

Senator for Tasmania

Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries and Forestry
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Innovation, Industry and Science

M E D I A R E L E A S E

12 June 2012

Food Processors go hungry as Labor claws back $26 million

The Prime Minister’s ambition to grow Australia into a food superpower has taken another battering with confirmation her Government has clawed back $26.2 million promised to regional food producers.

The $35 million Regional Food Producers Innovation and Productivity Program was a 2007 Labor election promise that will now only invest, at best, just $8.8 million.

Senator Richard Colbeck, who chairs the Senate Select Committee inquiring into Australia’s Food Processing Sector, said the claw-back clearly shows the Federal Labor Government is out of touch with a sector vital to Australia’s future food security.

“Labor has progressively siphoned off $26.2 million over the life of the program at a time when food processors around the country are telling us how tough trading conditions are,” Senator Colbeck said.

“Of the $10 million promised to the seafood sector, only $2 million has materialised.

“This is more Labor chaos. On one hand the Government is spruiking our country’s potential as the Australasian food superpower, but on the other it is denying food processors an important investment opportunity.

“The Government’s actions do not match its rhetoric.

“In recent times Labor has hindered, not helped, agriculture and food production.

“We’ve seen jacked up export fees and charges, cuts to research and development like the disbanding of Land and Water Australia and the slashing of funding for the RIRDC, and there will shortly be the impost of the carbon tax we were never supposed to have under Julia Gillard’s leadership.

“When it comes to the Regional Food Producers Program, yet again Julia Gillard has proved she cannot be believed. This is another complete failure by Labor to deliver on a promise,” Senator Colbeck said.
Senator Richard Colbeck