Bob Katter (Kennedy, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I have a question without notice to the Minister representing the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Is the minister aware of the study from the Australian Food and Grocery Council and KPMG which shows that Australia is a net food importer? Without the nonedibles, grain, live cattle and wine, even the government’s own ABS figures show that in five years Australia will be a net importer. In light of this, can the House be assured that senior ministers are open to considering, with government and Independent members representing food-growing areas, the rising dollar and it being a high interest rate driver, the unlevel playing field of the OECD’s 39 per cent tariff subsidy, Third World imports produced by workers paid $4 a day and, finally, the Woolworths-Coles 85 per cent problem, where, for example, banana farmers get paid $1 dollar a kilogram while Mrs Housewife pays $3 a kilogram?

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