Anne Webster (Mallee, National Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories) Share this | Hansard source

Labor thought they were very clever today. The factual gymnastics were all on display in question time—claiming that the European Union and Australia free trade agreement was a good deal for farmers. I can assure you that I don't know one farmer who thinks it is a good deal. The farming sector have come out fighting today, standing up for their sector and saying that this is a very bad deal for farmers and that we will wear it into the future.

I want to begin by talking about sheep growers, which the Prime Minister claimed benefited from the deal. The sheep meat sector wanted a minimum of 67,000 tonnes into the EU, duty free. But what did they get? Twenty-five thousand tonnes—after seven years. The PM claimed it's a great deal on sheep meat, but Sheep Producers Australia CEO Bonnie Skinner said that sheep producers have been sold out. Australian-EU Red Meat Market Access Taskforce chair Andrew MacDonald said that Australia's 25,000 tonnes stands in stark contrast to New Zealand's access of 163,000 tonnes, which is an outrageous discrepancy. In my electorate of Mallee, Thomas Foods International in Stawell is processing around 2.3 million sheep and lambs annually, contributing to Victoria's 314,000 tonnes per annum of sheep meat—almost half of Australia's total sheep meat output. I note at least two-thirds of Australia's sheep meat is exported, but to date very little has gone to the European Union—around one to two per cent.

To say Mallee sheep producers are disappointed with this EU deal is an understatement. Mallee grain and livestock producer Andrew Weidemann said that the deal is exactly what he thought might happen, that it's trading away their right to farm and that they as grain growers and livestock producers will just be taxed more to meet the green economy. He says that this is a joke and that when the EU brings in the annexure 9 legislation to stop using edible crops in fuel—no market either. What a mess. Farmers are intelligent. They are switched on, and they are watching the Albanese Labor government very closely. Time after time, Labor has thrown Mallee farmers under the bus for political expediency on transmission lines, wind turbines, solar panel installations and mining projects. Australian Meat Industry Council CEO Tim Ryan told Sky News today that the deal is a massive missed opportunity and a 'kick in the guts' at a time when we can focus on new opportunities to expand. Victorian Farmers Federation President Brett Hosking from my electorate said:

At a time when farmers are getting smashed by devastating water buybacks and skyrocketing fuel and fertiliser costs, we've been hung out to dry for the sake of getting the deal done.

National Farmers' Federation president Hamish McIntyre said today that it is a very disappointing day for agriculture generally. Labor's chest beating in parliament today about how good this deal is actually shows how little they understand about agriculture and regional Australia. They rattle off increases of export levels to the European Union but don't say how far they've sold Australian farmers short in this deal.

But it gets worse. Australian Forest Products Association chief executive officer Diana Hallam is quoted as saying:

We echo the concerns raised by many other agriculture peak bodies today about the lack of opportunities arising from the deal for Australia's forest industries.

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Australia's domestic timber production is already under extreme pressure, including from surging timber imports, a stagnant housing market and rising domestic costs such as energy, insurance, labour, transport and fuel—and this trade deal will further undermine the competitiveness of Australian timber.

This trade deal is very political. It sets up the current and future government to be dragged through the mud by the European Union.

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