Press Release

Western Australian wheat farmers are applauding NSW Liberal MP Alby Schultz’s announcement that he will not support the Coalition’s bid to delay the abolition of Wheat Exports Australia (WEA) and are encouraging Western Australian Federal Liberals to follow their Eastern State’s colleague’s lead and support the Government’s Wheat Export Marketing Amendment Bill.

“Alby’s decision to stand up against the Coalition’s push for a two year delay in fully deregulating the wheat export market is a clear indication that there are still some true Liberals left in the Coalition who are prepared to stand by their principles and do the right thing,” PGA Western Grain Growers Chairman John Snooke said.

“Wheat farmers in Western Australia are the largest producers of export wheat in the nation and as such we disproportionately pay more than growers in the Eastern States to fund the redundant operations of Wheat Export Australia, yet we are being told time after time by the Federal Liberal leadership that we should just trust them and they will fix this when they are in power.”

“As Alby has correctly stated these delays in continuing with the Howard Government’s commitment to the full deregulation of the wheat export industry is just a backdoor bid by the Nationals to re-regulate the industry and continue to rip off WA wheat growers.”

“However this message appears to be lost on the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party who continue to support the protectionist policies of Barnaby Joyce and the Nationals for the sake of unity and harmony in the coalition.”

“While Tony Abbott and Julie Bishop are keen to support what they call a range of different views on deregulation of the wheat export market, Western Australian Federal Liberals should be following Alby Schultz’s lead and do what is right for the wheat farmers in their State and support the Government’s Wheat Export Marketing Amendment Bill.”