Russell Broadbent (McMillan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When I, my family or my community are threatened, I respond. Every member of parliament is exactly the same. They do not change. Whether it be fire, flood or pestilence, we move. If we or our communities are threatened by a major conglomerate, we respond. Why would I be putting these questions to you about a major company like Wesfarmers that owns Coles supermarkets and is currently selling milk at $1 a litre? Because my dairy farmers—and I believe I have the most of any electorate in Australia—will come under threat in the long run.

What do I do? Do I respond by attacking Wesfarmers or asking the question, ‘Will Wesfarmers, a company with a history born out of agriculture, steeped in traditions of agriculture, play their part in the demise of the family dairy farm?’ Or do I respond by not going to Bunnings anymore as it is owned by Wesfarmers and thereby, in a marginal seat, put off every person who works at Bunnings? Why would I be attacking a company that is delivering to the consumer milk at $1 a litre? It is because in the long run—and that is what we have to be about in this place sometimes—it is going to mean the demise of our dairy industry on the altar of the almighty dollar for a share of the market.

We have two major supermarkets. They want a share of the people coming into supermarkets across Australia. Who is this going to hurt in the end? We are going to lose independents. We are not going to lose a Coles supermarket or a Woolworths supermarket. They are not going to go broke. But there is only so much money in a dollar that you can give to the processor or the dairy farmer. So I am responding today to say that all of those involved from the top of Wesfarmers through to their shareholders—but I am appealing particularly today to the farmers who over the years have acquired Wesfarmers shares; they may even be dairy farmers holding Wesfarmers shares—need to take a really close look in the mirror and be contacting their other shareholders and looking at the principles of those companies. We are under threat as dairy farmers. I will continue to respond every time I am under threat. (Time expired)