Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

As a wheat grower from the central west in New South Wales, I am only too aware of how important this issue is to wheat growers right around the state and right around the country. I am a very strong supporter of the single desk. I accept that there are diverse views on this issue, but it is certainly my belief that the majority of wheat growers are very supportive of retaining the single desk. While the majority of growers are supportive of retaining that, I will certainly continue to support retaining the single desk. This is about growers and what growers want.

The reasons that the single desk was set up certainly still exist today. As my leader, Senator Boswell, said yesterday, the single desk is defined by five clear principles. I think it is important that we just take a moment to look at those again. A single desk entity is: grower owned, the operator of the national pool, the holder of the export veto, the buyer of last resort, and it provides security of payment for growers. As my leader also said yesterday, these principles must only be changed with the clear support of a majority of growers.

The Wheat Marketing Amendment Bill 2006 gives the veto power to the minister for six months. It is a very sensible temporary solution to allow us to deal with the issues in Western Australia of drought and the growers’ cash flow requirements over there. I would also point out though that it does not compromise the position of growers who have already delivered to the pool. It is certainly The Nationals who have made sure that growers are able to have their say on the future of the single desk and the future of their industry. There is no doubt that there is a push out there towards complete deregulation. There is also a push out there towards changes to the current system.

I think it is very sensible that The Nationals have now secured a three-month period of consultation where growers can have their say. This is an opportunity for growers to have their say, to say loud and clear what they want for the future of their industry. I urge growers: if you do not want deregulation, if you want to make sure that you keep the single desk, then you have to rise up and tell us. Your future is in your hands—it is you, the growers, out there who now need to come together and tell this government what it is that you want for the future of your industry. The Nationals will absolutely, without doubt, continue to fight for growers. But the growers’ voice, your voice, has to be heard loud and clear. We can fight for you. We can continue to fight for you, and we will do that, but we need to make sure that your voice is heard so that the future of the industry is the future that you want.