Grievance Debate

WHEAT MARKETING

Mr VENNING (Schubert) (15:30): I raise the important matter of single desk marketing for wheat currently before the Australian federal parliament. Mr Tony Windsor, the federal Independent member for New England, recently conducted a poll to determine wheat growers' attitudes to different wheat exporting systems. Only 14 per cent said they wanted to change from the current single desk structure to a multi-licence system. Eighty per cent of the growers responded that they were in favour of retaining the single desk for wheat. Surprise, surprise; isn't that ironic! The minister walks out. The figure of 80 per cent is the same figure that I used—

An honourable member interjecting:

Mr VENNING: It's not Liberal party policy, incidentally. Eighty per cent is the same figure that I quoted in this parliament regarding farmers wanting to retain the single desk for barley. Isn't that ironic: it is exactly the same figure. Mr Windsor is an Independent member; he is not a Liberal. So, surprise, surprise: the figures are the same. I just cannot believe that this has happened, and that it is a figure that I quoted.

I commend the federal National Party for its stance. I commend Jock Munro, the New South Wales Farmers Federation and the Victorian Farmers Federation, but I cannot commend the South Australian one. I support the National Party 100 per cent in trying to stall it and supporting growers to retain what the overwhelming majority want to retain.

The big question is: what is the South Australian National Party position on this? It has been extremely silent. The state President of the National Party, Mr John Venus—with whom I had discussions a couple of weeks ago—had a go at me about what the Libs are doing in Canberra. I said not much. What is the National Party doing here in South Australia? Deathly silence.

I have heard nothing from the National Party leader (Hon. Karlene Maywald) who voted against single desk for barley. I do not know what the difference is; I do not believe there is any difference. I would be very keen to hear from her. She did not support single desk for barley; what is her decision on single desk for wheat? As the Leader of the National Party here, I only hope that she supports the federal National Party and comes out to strongly represent the farmers, many of whom live in her electorate.

The response to Mr Windsor's survey clearly demonstrates that growers want to retain a single desk for wheat, as they did for barley here in South Australia. I believe we are being conned by big business. I was disappointed to read in today's Advertiser that the wheat export monopoly currently in place would be dismantled. The article states as follows:

A Senate committee has recommended that the government go ahead with draft laws to dismantle the single desk for wheat exports.

That is an absolute disgrace. Given the results of Mr Windsor's survey—again, independent—I cannot believe that this is happening. It is the barley single desk saga all over again. I am calling for an Australia-wide referendum on this issue to truly gauge what the growers want. That is the only fair thing to do.

My position has never changed. I fully support cooperative, orderly collective marketing for wheat, as I did for barley, with growers maintaining control. I believe that the growers of Australia are being conned by an unholy alliance between governments and multinational grain traders. It is a big thing to say, and I say it quite clearly. There is money floating around to pay certain people to support a certain opinion, and these are the decision makers. Heavens above! Decisions like this are irreversible. Before doing it, give all the stakeholders a say via a grower referendum so there can be no doubt about what the majority of farmers want.

I think getting rid of the single desk for barley is an absolute disgrace, because what we have now is an absolute Pandora's box. It is purely luck, and it is luck of the draw. I call on the Hon. Karlene Maywald—the Leader of the National Party here in South Australia and a cabinet minister—to come out and say what the National Party position is here in South Australia. Is it backing its federal colleagues? If it is not, what is its position? I strongly support the retention of single desk for wheat all over Australia because it has served us well. The blemish in Iraq with the AWB is no reason to throw away a system that has worked so well for so long for Australia and Australian farmers. I only wish it could be reversed, but I do not think that it will be.