Commonsense needed on Tasmanian eggs

NEW government regulations on the sale of Tasmanian eggs should not penalise community groups like the Country Women’s Association, says Lyons Liberal MHR Eric Hutchinson.
Mr Hutchinson said today that common sense needed to be applied to the new egg rules which are due to come into effect in Tasmania at the end of this month.

He has written to state Primary Industries Minister Bryan Green urging him to use his government’s influence to make the regulations more reasonable after a community outcry which has criticised them as unfair and impractical.

People are concerned that community organisations like the CWA will suffer because the regulations as they stand effectively ban the sale of unstamped, unaudited eggs from roadside stalls, markets and shops.

Mr Hutchinson has asked Mr Green to consider the section of the new regulations that allow for exemptions and fee reductions.

It says that each of the state and territory schemes which implement new national guidelines allows for fees to be reduced or waived in at least six different circumstances.

Those circumstances include where the egg sales (or primary produce businesses) are carried out mainly for a charitable, educational or non-commercial purpose, “or any other exceptional circumstances where a reduction or waiver of the fee or charge would be just and equitable,’’ Mr Hutchinson said.

An online petition by a Southern Tasmanian orchardist calling for small egg producers to be exempt from the new regulations has already collected nearly 5000 signatures.
Federal Member for Lyons Eric Hutchinson