Agmates Editor Steve Truman writes.
At yesterdays Senate Inquiry into the Wheat Single Desk 50 angry wheat growers and National party MP’s saw the ugly side of the Liberal Party embodied in NSW Liberal Senator Bill Heffernan (pictured left).
The farmers lead by NSW wheat grower Jock Munro traveled to Parliament House in Canberra on Tuesday to call for the government’s draft laws - which would end Single desk marketing of Australia’s bulk wheat exports - to be scrapped.
Tempers flared during the inquiry as the farmers made their feelings plain, cheering, jeering and interjecting until they were warned they risked being thrown out.
In what has been described as “Ugly Coalition Clash” by media outlets: Click here to see full report from Cathy Alexander of the Warranbool Standard.
Nationals senator Barnaby Joyce (pictured below) clashed with Liberal senator Bill Heffernan, who also sits on the inquiry’s committee, inside and outside the hearing.
Senator Heffernan accused Senator Joyce of talking “bullshit” during the inquiry.
Senator Heffernan later tried to attend Tuesday’s lunch-time press conference with the farmers but was asked to leave by Senator Joyce.
“Look serious, Barnaby, look serious,” Senator Heffernan called out as Senator Joyce and the group of farmers walked up to a journalist.
As Senator Heffernan loomed behind Senator Joyce during the press conference, the Queenslander said: “Bill we know what you’re up to mate; this is bullshit, Bill, this is bullshit.”
“You are making a goose of yourself,” Senator Joyce told Senator Heffernan, accusing him of “bullshit”. “I’ll let them go on you, Bill,” Senator Joyce said, referring to the farmers who were protesting about the end of the single desk. Senator Heffernan retreated to the sidelines, to hear the legislation denounced. Read Full the full Age report hear.
—————————————————————
Have your say!
Is the Liberal Party doing the right thing by Farmers backing Labors move to scrap our Wheat Single Desk Marketing?
Leave your comment below or click on the Blue word Comments and the reply box will appear.
Related Posts
- WAG Says Burke’s Wheat Bill Screws Farmers
- Adams tells Senate Inquiry WA Wheat Farmers want Single Desk GONE!
- Senator Joyce says where there’s Wheat, there’s Rats.
- Will Rudd Listen to Farmers & Embarrass the Liberals?
- Who’s on drugs Senator Joyce or The West Australian.
Tags: Barnaby Joyce
We disagree with the Liberal and labor party’s stand on the single desk.
If the single desk is not continued, the American’s and multinationals with take over our wheat industry as there will be too many traders and no backstop for carry-over grain, eg the pools.
It will lead to a lot more corruption that the AWB has ever been guilty of.
G’day Ian,
Talk about AWB corruption have you seen the Agmates article on the Discraced AWB exec’s going to Court. Click Here to see that.
NO! NO! For the past forty years no Government has ever done the right thing by rural producers.
Had the board of AWB had a member of gov’t as part of its board as was the case prior to the partial privatization then the result of Cole etc would be much different, much imprudence in the earlier planning.
Think of the dairy industry and its promise and the reality. major re adjustment came and was paid for…not so many dairy men now nor pigs or sheep, look out chooks!!!
Tony Burke, what about you explaining the price result of two or more sellers of Australian wheat when they both rock up to a government/single desk buyer? Who in this legislation is going to see that our price is not bid down?
Of course you will argue when an over supply comes that pools will be set up like say the one for sorghum now in QLD…in this legislation who is to say that the pool is run to give the grower the best return…what seems to be evolving is that the pool operator maximizes its return….and the farmer is still the weekest seller.
Rowell Walton
Let me say from my experience in sugar marketing - the Asian countries are experts in the game of “divide and conquer”
Russell Philp