“Prime Minister Julia Gillard must allow more time for parliamentary scrutiny of her carbon tax legislation after it emerged today she is changing rules to redefine what is considered as ‘agriculture’”, said the Member for Wannon, Dan Tehan.
“Prime Minister Julia Gillard must allow more time for parliamentary scrutiny of her carbon tax legislation after it emerged today she is changing rules to redefine what is considered as ‘agriculture’”, said the Member for Wannon, Dan Tehan.
“Companies involved in providing fertiliser for farms consider their activities part of ‘agriculture’. They process the fertiliser to an ‘agriculture use standard’, transport it to farms or agents, and often spread and apply the fertiliser to the soil. Yet they will be taxed under the Clean Energy Future legislation and not considered part of ‘agriculture’," said Mr Tehan.
Additionally, in a move that can only be described as absurd, the Government proposes to amend the Fuel Tax Act 2006 to ensure the delivery and movement of fertiliser on and to farms won’t qualify as ‘agriculture’.
"As Clark Roycroft, who runs a small fertiliser business in Camperdown said, “whoever proposed this amendment has been doing to much drinking downstream of the herd”. Mr Roycroft believes this will just be another added impost on farmers.
"Today in Question Time I asked the Prime Minister the following: “I refer the Prime Minister to the fact that the Government is amending the Fuel Tax Act as part of its carbon tax package to remove the exemption which allows the delivery of fertiliser to farms to be defined as ‘agriculture’. Does the Prime Minister agree with Clark Roycoft, the owner of a fertiliser business in Camperdown in my electorate, who says that whoever proposed this amendment “has been doing too much drinking downstream of the herd”?”
“I appreciate the Prime Ministers’ offer in her answer to meet with me to discuss this matter and I will be writing to her to accept this invitation. My constituent, Mr Roycroft, has asked if I could take along a member of the National Aglime Association, who represent his business at the national level.
“Given that the Prime Minister is rushing this legislation through the Parliament, I hope the Prime Minister is genuine in her offer and will meet with me next week.
“The National Aglime Association (NAA), and members of state associations such as the Victorian Limestone Producers Association (VLPA) and Aglime WA (AWA) are perplexed that the Government would change the definition of ‘agriculture’ so that fertiliser is captured under the carbon tax.
“The carbon tax is going to increase the cost of production for our farmers and harm our local economy. The Prime Minister should forget about rushing this legislation through the Parliament and instead scrap it.”
-ENDS-
Media Contact: Rachelle Miller 02 6277 4393 or 0408 564 232
Copyright © 2010 : Authorised by Dan Tehan, 190 Gray St, Hamilton VIC 3300
Disclaimer | Privacy | Contact
Design by Tin Shed Creations
