Farmers have formed a nationwide united front against an “unfair” biosecurity levy set to be introduced in July, with industry leaders across Australia’s $84.9 billion agriculture sector condemning the “flawed” tax.
The overwhelming opposition was laid bare in an avalanche of submissions to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry published this month.
Farm organisations from every State and Territory rubbished the new levy, along with a slew of national lobby groups representing the grains, livestock, horticulture, forestry and fisheries industries.
Common complaints included a complete lack of consultation, lack of transparency over how the funds would be spent, and claims producers were being unfairly slugged.
GPA chairman Barry Large said the sheer volume of negative feedback demonstrated “a rare form of collective strength and solidarity of views” across the agriculture sector.
“Farm representatives have consistently objected to this flawed policy proposal — be it grains, livestock, horticulture, seafood or forestry,” he said.