Nationals leader Matt Canavan said Trade Minister Don Farrell’s calls for farmers and businesses to spruik the European Union Free Trade Agreement on his behalf was not just insulting to farmers, but an arrogant doubling down on the worst deal ever.
Senator Canavan said the so-called ‘Free Trade’ Agreement between Australia and the European Union hold sold out Australian farmers and Australian interests.
“But instead of listening to the concerns on farmers, Minister Farrell was pressing ahead, and now lecturing farmers to spruik the deal,” Senator Canavan said.
“Farmers are too busy trying to make ends meet than to do the minister’s work for him.
“One thing farmers should know is, the Liberals and Nationals have your back.
“The fundamental problem is that the deal is not reciprocal.
“Australia is effectively opening its market to European producers, including removing tariffs on all EU agricultural exports, while key Australian agricultural exports into Europe will remain restricted by quotas, tariffs and massive European farm subsidies.
“That is not genuine free trade.
“The minister’s intransigence is in stark contrast to the bipartisan approach the Coalition took in government.
“When Labor raised issues about the China Free Trade Agreement, and threatened to block its passage, we went back and renegotiated the deal to deliver bipartisan outcomes.
“Why won’t Labor do the same for Australia’s interests here?”
The Australian red meat industry said the Federal Government had badly let the sector down, signing an extremely disappointing free trade deal with the European Union that fell far short of what Australia needed and expected.
The Red Meat Industry Council said Australia’s red meat industry was devastated that the Federal Government signed an FTA that fell well short of delivering a significant increase in market access, despite repeatedly indicating it would not sign a bad deal.
“While the incremental increase in quota access has been noted, the outcome is well below the Australian Government’s own objectives, let alone stakeholder expectations,” the council said in a statement earlier this year.
“Unfortunately, the deal agreed to by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the president of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will see the continuation of disproportionately low quotas for red meat, placing Australia at an ongoing competitive disadvantage in the highly valued EU market.”
“Australia’s red meat sector has been profoundly let down by this outcome,” Australia-EU Red Meat Market Access Taskforce chair Andrew McDonald said.
