Press Release

“GPA Chairman Pete Mailer’s latest attempts to delay the passing in the Senate of the Wheat Export Marketing Amendment Bill by calling for greater transparency in stock level information should be seen by every politician and grower for what it is – an attempt to ensure the survival of an organisation that has no mandate, no constituency and no relevance in today’s deregulated wheat market,” PGA Western Grain Growers Chairman John Snooke said today.

“Once again the GPA is running around the countryside like Chicken Little hysterically claiming the sky was falling in on the Australian wheat industry unless we turn Wheat Exports Australia into a new regulatory body.”

“Mr Mailer’s latest fable that growers will somehow gain a marketing advantage through the release of upcountry stock information is yet another GPA fairy tale, lacking in both commercial and common sense.”

“Stock information is private information.  Throughout the supply chain it belongs to somebody, whether a grower or marketer and like any private information it is up to the owner whether they wish others to know it or not.”

“Why would an organisation which is supposed to represent the best interests of farmers demand they release their private information, which would not only destroy their trading position but also the competitive advantage of Australian wheat?”

“And why will Eastern States growers with on farm storage be exempt from this coercion, whilst the Western Australian export wheat growers, who mostly use the CBH network for storage, will once again be disadvantaged.”

“It was not that long ago that Western Australian wheat farmers were forced to provide their stock level information to one organisation, which also had many of the regulatory powers espoused by the GPA – and we all remember how that turned out.”

“This is why Western Australian wheat farmers remain supportive of the Governments’ WEMA Bill and the amendments put forward by WA Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert.”