Press Release

The Pastoralists and Graziers Association of WA has reaffirmed its support for the Government’s Wheat Export Marketing Amendment Bill which will remove the redundant Wheat Export Authority and the unnecessary Wheat Export Charge and bring the wheat export industry into line with other deregulated grain exports such as canola, barley and lupins.

“The Government’s Bill is about removing a redundant bureaucratic body which no longer has a purpose and imposes an unnecessary cost on wheat growers in Western Australia,” PGA Western Grain Growers Chairman John Snooke said.

“Wheat farmers in Western Australia produce more than 45% of the export wheat in Australia and are no longer willing to be told what is best for them by Eastern States grower groups and agripoliticians.”

“These Eastern States opponents of the Bill continue to put forward myths and lies about potential market failure due to poor wheat quality, lack of stack information and port access in an attempt to re-regulate the wheat industry by either revamping the WEA, or replacing it with another statutory body.”

“Since 2008, when deregulation of the export wheat industry began, over 2000 bulk wheat shipments have gone from Australia and there has not been a single one returned due to wheat quality issues.”

“Over the past four years, no Bulk Handlers have had their accreditation removed or suspended by the WEA due to port access arrangements, nor has any exporter had their accreditation cancelled.”

“Following the removal of the Single Desk, Western Australian wheat farmers have consistently received a premium for their export wheat ranging from $20-$90/tonne; and the Western Australian Wheat (WAW) futures and options contract is set to overtake NSW milling wheat as the benchmark contract.”

“There is no need to legislate any perceived industry good items such as wheat quality or access to information because they already are being handled by the industry and by the market,” Mr Snooke said.

“And the development of a new industry code of conduct, which is a condition of the Government’s Bill, will provide greater scrutiny by industry over port access issues than could ever be achieved by revamping the defunct WEA and will allow wheat to be treated the same way as other grain exports like canola, barley and lupins.” 

“The claims by some Eastern states growers that the industry is not yet mature enough for full deregulation are completely false.  WA wheat farmers know this, many Eastern States wheat farmers know this, bulk handlers know this, exporters know this, the customers know this and the Government know this.”

“Maybe the Opposition should be listening to those who know, rather than those who don’t want to know.”