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Dairy cows at Cedar Pocket near Gympie.
Dairy cows at Cedar Pocket near Gympie. Craig Warhurst
News

Wide Bay not in drought, so who will get the 10c milk levy?

by Letter to the Editor from Madonna Waugh
11th Sep 2018 10:27 AM
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR

DEAR politicians, while I was weeding beans, I think a lot... mainly why do I grow produce?

The National MP who represents one of the lowest socio seats in the country is calling for a levy on milk to cover the drought along with other National MPs.

It seems economic/ taxation policies are out of bounds for the Nats. So they look for things that will get them back in, so they can neglect many issues facing their electorates.

Group of well-grown heifers that will easily meet weight for age targets and become profitable members of the dairy herd.
Group of well-grown heifers that will easily meet weight for age targets and become profitable members of the dairy herd.

I am not sure many politicians understand the legislation that the bureaucrats will end up writing.

So my question is will all dairy farmers be getting 10 cents per litre or just drought affected dairy farmers?

Much of the Wide Bay electorate is not in drought.

Who is collecting the 10 cents per litre?

Gympie region Dairy farmers rally together taking their concerns to Parliament House in Brisbane her at parliament
Gympie region Dairy farmers rally together taking their concerns to Parliament House in Brisbane her at parliament

So a little corner shop who sells milk, how do they pass on the 10 cents collected?

Or are you just asking Coles and Woolworths to put the levy on milk?

Is it more paper work for small business?

When will the dairy farmer be paid? And how will they be paid? Via processor, via small business, or by federal government? Daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly?

Horticulture was in the news when the National Party had an opportunity to discuss superannuation and how so much of hard working seasonal poor peoples wages leave the regional electorates under the guise they need to fund their own retirement.

SPEAK NOW: Wide Bay MP Llew O'Brien and federal agriculture minister David Littleproud (third and fourth from left) wanted to hear from the grass roots dairy industry in Gympie yesterday.
SPEAK NOW: Wide Bay MP Llew O'Brien and Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud (third and fourth from left) meet with grass roots dairy industry representatives in Gympie. Arthur Gorrie

So as the focus isn't on the dramas of drought on horticulture, problems with me feeding all the starving wildlife and how we are getting poorer, I will try to analyse what the National Party is doing to try and win back their low socio seats.

P.S. It's OK to say no to the National Party.

Madonna Waugh,

Widgee