Press Release

“The decision by some Western Australian Liberal MP’s to not support the Government’s attempt to fully deregulate the wheat export industry is a clear betrayal not only of their grain growing constituents, but of the founding principles of the Liberal Party,” PGA Western Grain Growers Chairman John Snooke said.

“The Liberal Party is supposed to be the champion of free enterprise and deregulation, but this decision to ignore the recommendations of the Productivity Commission and support the retention and expansion of Wheat Export Australia into the regulatory overseer of the wheat industry is the complete opposite of what the Liberal Party stands for.”

“One has to wonder if there are any true Liberals left in the Coalition judging from their decision to tow the National Party line and impose further regulatory control over the Australian Wheat industry.”

“But what is most concerning is the total distain that some WA Liberal politicians have shown towards their grain growing constituents, who, despite growing the majority of Australia’s export wheat, have had their calls for further deregulation fall on deaf ears and have been told that the National Party knows best.”

“Wheat growers in Western Australia now have to look forward to continuing to disproportionately fund the now defunct WEA until such time as the National Party assumes control of the Ministry of Agriculture and modifies the WEA or replaces it with another regulatory body that will strip them of every competitive advantage they have received since 2008.”

“The WA grains industry can now look forward 18months of limited investment, limited competition, limited choice, limited demand, coupled with increased storage and handling charges, increased regulation and increased Government oversight, all thanks to the Coalition.”

“And while the Nationals will be celebrating their efforts to reinvent the past and exonerate the failings of the previously corrupt statutory marketing regime, those WA Liberal politicians who supported the decision to once again place regulatory control over the WA wheat industry should be questioning whether they were truly representing the best interests of their constituents.”