Lambie welcomes Liberal’s Backpacker Tax deal with the Greens

Independent JLN Senator for Tasmania Jacqui Lambie on the behalf of desperate Tasmanian farmers – has welcomed the news that the Liberal / National parties have cut a deal with the Greens which leaves the Backpacker tax rate at an effective rate of 13%.
“I genuinely welcome the news that the Greens have negotiated a deal that delivers an effect Backpacker tax rate of 13%. I hope it works. Our Tasmanian farmers should never have been put through this bureaucratic and political hell, for the last 18mths. The government’s inaction, arrogance and incompetence have caused terrible harm to many Tasmanian farming families.
Our farmers deserve a fair share of the extra $100M announced in this National, Liberal and Greens deal for Land Care. I’m calling for details of this deal – and the total amount of money to be allocated to Tasmania – to be released to our Farmers as soon as possible. We know our farmers have lost and will continue to lose money because of government incompetence – perhaps some of this money can be put aside for compensation.
And I hope that a Backpacker deal which has a headline rate of 15% – but incorporates superannuation concessions that lower the headline rate to an effective value of 13% – is recognised internationally as competitive. With New Zealand’s backpacker rate set at a headline rate of 10.5% – and with NZ poaching a lot of Australian bound backpackers – I still have concerns for the long term viability and competitiveness of this deal.
I hope that once this matter is dealt with today in Parliament – that a lasting and viable solution is put in place. It would be a disaster if we had to revisit the Backpacker crisis in another 12months. I will continue to listen closely to Tasmanian farmers and vote according to their best interests.
Unfortunately, this crisis has shown that mainland dominated farming organisations like the NFF – cannot be trusted to represent Tasmanian farmers in Canberra. The NFF’s actions in this Backpacker crisis show that they have become the lap dogs of the National and Liberal parties – rather than being the watch dog for regional and rural Australia.” said Senator Lambie.
Rob Messenger for Senator Jacqui Lambie Senator for Tasmania