Grain grower representative groups have ripped into the federal government's proposed Biosecurity Protection Levy, saying without clear direction as to where levy funds would end up it amounted to little more than a new tax.
"At present the levies are set to end up in general revenue where there is no oversight as to how they will be spent," said Grain Producers Australia chief executive Colin Bettles.
"This goes against the core principles of the levy collection system, such as the collections raised for the GRDC (Grains Research and Development Corporation) or Plant Health Australia, where the funds are allocated to a specific use," he said.
"We have real concerns about grower levies being redirected into consolidated revenue, at present, unlike the GRDC or PHA this is a form of taxation without any grower representation."
With this in mind he said GPA's response to the levy proposal in the current consultation period was to unambiguously oppose the levy.