LABOR’S NEW FRESH FOOD TAX WILL DRIVE UP THE COST OF LIVING

Labor’s legislation on a new fresh food tax has been introduced in Parliament, in a move that will increase the cost of living and hurt families, farmers, and food producers throughout Australia.

Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox said Labor’s biosecurity protection levy will charge Australian farmers for the biosecurity costs of importers bringing their product to Australia.

“These costs to farmers will inevitably be passed onto the consumer, hurting individuals and families who are already struggling with immense cost of living pressures.

“Labor is treating Australian farmers with contempt. We don’t know which producers are going to be charged, and the Department has said they will formally advise industries on their rate in the coming weeks or months.

“This tax is meant to come into effect as of 1 July 2024, it’s now March. Our farmers deserve more warning than this,” Mr Willcox said.

Mr Willcox explained the policy follows a disingenuous consultation process and is expensive, confusing, risky, and flawed, putting the entire voluntary levy system at risk.

Labor’s legislation lacks any detail of the cost to approximately 1,500 farmers in Dawson or how the levy will be collected. It is not clear what industry will have to pay.

“It is expected that it’s not just farmers that are captured under this new tax, but also fishers and foresters.

“If this is true, we can almost say goodbye to Australia’s world-class fishing industry completely, especially after Labor’s announcement to ban commercial gillnet fishing.

“This could destroy the entire fishing industry in our electorate. First the Labor Government want to take away our fishers’ ability to catch fish, they now want these fishos to foot the bill for their international competitors to bring their supply to Australia. It just doesn’t make sense.

“What Australian Government in their right mind would tax their own food producers, their own farmers, to pay for the biosecurity risks of their international competitors, to bring their competing products to Australia.”

“Labor is out of its depth and doesn’t understand the industry, yet is still determined to tax our farmers and prioritise importers.”

Mr Willcox said Labor should drop the tax and instead mirror the Coalition’s importer container levy.

“It’s simple, those who pose the risk should pay the cost.

“The Nationals stand by our farmers and will fight this senseless new tax.”

“Our Aussie farmers are in a fight for their lives, and if they lose this fight, we all lose.

“I will stand shoulder to shoulder with our farmers and fight to get rid of this outrageous tax, after all, without farmers, we all starve.”