Fall out from live cattle export ban could see NT industry shut down for good
Indonesia's plan to drastically cut the amount of beef it imports continues the fallout from the Gillard Government’s botched ban on live cattle exports that will hit the Territory hard, Country Liberals Senator for the Northern Territory Nigel Scullion said today.
“News that Indonesia's 2012 permit allocation of live cattle imports will be slashed from 500,000 a head to 280,000 a head as well as a huge reduction in boxed beef has shown how this inept Government has created an image of Australian as a sovereign risk,” Senator Scullion said.
“These plan by Indonesia as the consequences of an ill-conceived ban that made Australian food a sovereign risk to Indonesia.
“After the bungling of this government’s knee-jerk ban Indonesia no longer feels it can rely on Australian supply and so has moved to find independent food security by focusing on self-sufficiency.
“Back in October when it was revealed incompetent Federal Agriculture Minister Senator Joe Ludwig had ignored advice from his department that could to work with the industry prior to the Four Corners program, I said a body blow has also been dealt to Australia’s hard-won reputation as a reliable trading partner #, and sadly, it turns out I was right,” Senator Scullion said.
“But this move will reverberate throughout Northern Australia with cattle producers be gutted by this news as well as transport and other associated industries.
“Then bad ban savaged the NT economy and causing a massive loss of income for workers, cattlemen and associated businesses.
“Now it looks like the pain will continue until the live beef trade to Indonesia simply dries up.
“It’s a $320M a year hit to the Australian economy, but now pushes an entire industry to the brink of collapse,” Senator Scullion said.
Media contact: Russel Guse – 0438 685645.
# See website for Release Minister Ludwig should resign over live cattle debacle from October 17, 2011.
