Media Release

THE major parties have once again joined forces to torment our nation’s dairy farmers by denying them the right to obtain a fair price for milk, under changes introduced by KAP Federal Leader and Member for Kennedy Bob Katter.

“In 2000, there was 1, 545 dairy farms in Queensland and last year there was 500 dairy farms.

“Australia wide, in 2000 there was 12, 896 and now only 6,398 dairy farmers; and it just gets grimmer and grimmer” said Mr Katter.

Yesterday, Mr Katter introduced an amendment to the Primary Industries (Excise) Levies Amendment Dairy Produce to establish a national single desk to set a minimum price to dairy farmers for milk who are struggling for survival against the might of the supermarket oligopoly and free-market obsessed governments.

Mr Katter told the House of Representatives that the deregulation of the dairy industry in the early 2000’s had catastrophic economic and social impacts on Australian dairy farmers.

“Under a regulated system, a fairness tribunal, the price for fresh milk was 59c/L a litre in Queensland and within two years of deregulation, the price of milk fell to 42c/L.

“The dairy industry was hit with a farmer committing suicide every four days – a heart wrenching and unacceptable toll.

“The LNP is primarily responsible for this decision, with the help of the ALP, and they can take full responsibility for making the supermarket giants rich, literally over the dead bodies of Australian dairy farmers,” Mr Katter said.

Mr Katter said that arbitration is desperately needed for both the working people of Australia as well as the dairy farmers themselves.

“Was de-regulation good for Australia? Did the consumer get a cheaper price for milk? No. Within two years, the price of milk went up by 25%.

“With an arbitrated price implemented today, we would see farmers being paid about 84c/L for fresh milk.

“In Australia, we believe in a fair go. These poor people are working for incomes that are at starvation and poverty level. It is just terribly cruel what is happening,” said Mr Katter.

Mr Katter’s amendment was supported by Federal Member for Denison, Andrew Wilkie and Federal Member for Fairfax, Clive Palmer; the major parties voted against the right for dairy farmers to obtain a fair price for milk.