Nola Marino (Forrest, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to call on the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to reconsider his decision to refuse funding to the Western Australian Red Meat Stocktake program. Their application was made under the Agriculture Advancing Australia package in May 2007 and was approved in October 2007. In spite of this approval, following the election the program was scrapped by the Labor government. This funding is extremely important to the beef industry in Western Australia. The funding was specifically to undertake an objective, strategic analysis of the beef industry in WA, with the key objectives of providing a detailed examination of the WA supply chain and a description and situation analysis; developing a future model for the WA beef-processing industry, production sectors and supply chain; and developing strategies to move from the current situation to a future model.

The beef industry in WA is at a critical point. Soaring production costs, including fertiliser and diesel prices—now over $1.87 in Manjimup—mean beef and sheep producers are rapidly becoming unable to sustain their farmlands and therefore WA’s multimillion-dollar slaughter industry is at risk. Meat prices are significantly lower than production costs. This is resulting in a mass exodus of experienced rural agricultural expertise from the farming industry. I strongly urge the minister to reconsider his decision and provide this very practical and necessary funding to the beef industry in Western Australia.