Media Release

THE announcement that Indonesia will reduce its live cattle intake from Australia is a shattering blow – but it may not be quite as bad as it would appear, says Australian Party Federal Leader Bob Katter.

The Federal Member for Kennedy said anyone who thought that a reduction in live cattle going to Indonesia would not put downward pressure on the price to beef in Australia "would believe that Mao Tse Tung is Santa Claus".

Mr Katter said that he’d always believed that the ongoing damage to our relationship with Indonesia – though the extraordinary incompetence and irresponsibility of the MLA, the LNP government and the current government – would be serious.

He has already held meetings "and built what we hope are cordial relations" with the Indonesian Ambassador, who had his photograph taken wearing Mr Katter’s Akubra hat; and would seek direct discussions with the Ambassador as soon as was convenient for the Ambassador.

Mr Katter urged the Department of Foreign Affairs to point out that ox was a very important adjunct to the Indonesian diet, but not essential to their self-sufficiency in food.

"We will be attempting to point out to the Indonesians that having a cow and calf to raise to produce beef is highly inefficient," he said. "Whilst they can process the beef and grow it out at one-quarter the price in Australia, we can produce cow and calf beef at one-tenth of the price they could."

Mr Katter said the towering irresponsibility and incompetence of Canberra could be fully illustrated in the live export ban incident, which had clearly done long-term serious damage.

"The hand-wringing, crying greenie classes of Australia have shown arrogance and contempt for the religious beliefs of these people and treated them as moral deviants – which can’t help but have racial overtones, and I believe it has.

"Most of these people who are crying and hand-wringing don’t even have pets."

Mr Katter said he didn’t want anyone to assume that this battle was lost.

"Our situation is difficult, and the outcome for cattlemen, of whom probably half are on struggle street, is deeply worrying and fills any decent Australian with a sense of rage."