Beef crisis summit

FEDERAL LNP Member for Maranoa Bruce Scott attended the beef industry Crisis Summit in Richmond on Tuesday, to address the industry’s crash as a result of oversupply from drought and a crippled live export market.
Mr Scott said beef producers had told him it was getting to the stage where cattle prices are below what it costs to truck their stock to the saleyards.
“The beef industry needs support and needs it now,” Mr Scott said.
“This is an industry still reeling from the Federal Labor Government’s temporary live export ban in 2011. The beef industry has been left out to dry by this Labor Government.
“These cattle have been specifically bred for the live export market and the demise of the trade to Indonesia means these cattle are now forced on to the domestic market.
“Oversupply from the damaged live export market coupled with drought de-stocking means we are already witnessing a decline in beef prices across Australia.”
Mr Scott said problems were not limited to beef producers but threatened to dismantle many families and country towns in his vast electorate.
“We now have producers who are totally income poor,” Mr Scott said.
“This loss in revenue means a flow-on effect for the whole region. Town economies will grind to a halt as money from the pastoral industry dries up.
“Producers have contacted me worried about how they will pay their child’s boarding school fees or support their older children studying at university.
“If these kids miss out on education now, they could miss out for life.”
Mr Scott said an additional measure which should be considered at today’s forum is a local government rate relief package for cattle producers in affected areas.
“Many are now opening the envelope of their local council rate notice. We need to work towards a 50 per cent rebate until producers get back on their feet,” he said.
“There are many issues at play against the beef industry at the moment and they all need to be addressed now.”