General principles

CDP believes that Australia must continue to have a competitive, sustainable and profitable rural sector since independent family farms are a vital part of the social and economic fabric of Australian society.

However, the primary emphasis should be placed on the actual well being of rural people and communities rather than on the “paper performance” of a few rural industries.

Rural people and communities should reap an equitable share of the rewards of their production. Programs must be developed to help farmers and their families to stay on the land and earn sufficient income.

State and Federal governments have a responsibility to ensure that rural people have access to government offices, banks, hospital, medical and other vital services. Where such services are not economically viable to private enterprise, the State and Federal governments have a duty to intervene in some fashion.

The Government has a responsibility to provide taxation and regulatory incentives for decentralisation, creation of new enterprises and expansion of existing enterprises and businesses in rural areas.

SPECIFIC POLICIES

CDP supports and will lobby for the retention or adoption of the following policies:

Drought policy

1) A good drought policy should have a long term strategy encouraging farmers to prepare better for future droughts. In this regard, CDP supports a) the introduction of 100% tax deductibility in the year of expenditure for primary producers investing in assets and infrastructure to enhance drought preparedness. b) the availability of other means-tested incentives (such as low interest loans, investment rebates grants) to encourage farmers to implement drought preparedness strategies.

2) Currently, producers in a given area subject to a severe and rare event (drought, devastation) may apply for Exceptional Circumstances Relief Payments. However, an Exceptional Circumstances (EC) application takes far too long to be processed. Presently, regions seeking EC relief must first approach the State Government who, once convinced of the merits of the application, will refer the matter to the Australian Government Minister for Agriculture who then forwards the application to the National Rural Advisory Council (NRAC). If the NRAC supports the application, the Minister for Agriculture must then seek approval from Cabinet before declaring that an area is experiencing EC. Furthermore, under the present guidelines, very few farmers can be eligible for EC relief as the individual eligibility criteria is very restrictive.

CDP supports a simplification of this highly bureaucratic and subjective assessment system and replace it with a more science-based, objective approach that automatically triggers EC relief within a region affected by drought.

Water entitlements

The separation of water entitlements from land titles may deprive some rural landholders from access to water resulting in a loss of land value and an inability to carry out an agricultural or horticultural enterprise.

Consequently, CDP supports permanent security of tenure over water entitlements and the adoption of a Torrens-based system in relation to water rights.

Climate variability research

CDP supports a refocusing on valid scientific drought prediction models by Federal and State Governments research centers.

Environmental practices

CDP supports environment management policies that will secure the retention of ongoing productive agricultural land and the implementation of viable programs to deal with salt damage to agricultural land.

CDP supports a forestry policy that protects the interests and long term viability of rural and regional forestry communities.

Global trade

CDP is concerned by the significant amount of government subsidies offered to US and European farmers. These subsidies distort the market and encourage inefficiency and uncompetitive practices.

In response to these global realities, CDP supports the introduction of a realistic trade barrier policy which will effectively protect our Australian domestic market from these uncompetitive policies.

Single trading desk

CDP supports a “single desk” arrangement for the export of Australian wheat as long as farmers remain protected from unscrupulous corporations. The “single desk” should be a cooperative style entity owned by farmers. The “single desk” needs to work for the benefit of the farmers only. The “single desk” policy should allow farmers to share the benefits of a bargaining power they might not otherwise have.

Quarantine

CDP supports a review of Australia’s quarantine policies. CDP supports a policy where the imported product is required to meet the same high quality production standards as those imposed on our local producers.

Live trade

The live animal export is a significant industry as it employs a large number of workers.

Consequently, CDP supports the continuation of the live animal export trade subject to improved humane treatment of animals during transport and pain minimisation during slaughter.

For those animals that are not going to be exported alive, CDP supports the development of abattoirs that implement pain minimisation techniques during the slaughtering process.

Labeling issues

CDP supports government regulations requiring country of origin labelling.

CDP supports strict penalties to protect the Australian wool and sheep industry from false labelling and inferior products.

Fuel

CDP supports a lower taxation regime on all fuels and the establishment of further LP gas outlets in country and remote areas is to be encouraged.