Leader of the Nationals and Member for Maranoa David Littleproud is urging farmers and families in Maranoa to help stop Labor’s fresh food tax, by registering interest to have their say online.

Consultation has now opened into Labor’s Sustainable Funding to Strengthen Biosecurity – Have Your Say – Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Mr Littleproud said farmers and families in 2024 would be impacted by Labor’s new tax, which would push up the price of fresh food.

“In my electorate of Maranoa, 6982 farmers are likely to be affected by this new tax, which comes into effect on July 1, 2024,” Mr Littleproud said.

“Farmers make up 10.6 per cent of workers in my electorate of Maranoa. Farmers are critical to our region as they support rural communities and provide us with fresh, healthy and affordable food.

“The new tax on farmers will inevitably be passed onto consumers, which means even higher grocery bills for those in Maranoa.

“As the Member for Maranoa I am determined to stop this new tax on our farmers and our food. I urge locals in Maranoa to register their interest, to help stop this senseless new tax.”

The new tax is a biosecurity levy on farmers, set at a rate equivalent of 10 per cent of the 2020-21 industry-led levies.

Mr Littleproud added it had been almost three months since the Budget and there was still no new information into the biosecurity levy.

“It is unfathomable the Labor government would ask farmers to pay for the biosecurity risks of international importers from other countries,” Mr Littleproud said.

“Instead of taxing farmers, a future Coalition Government will scrap this tax. Under our plan, importers of foreign products will pay for the biosecurity risk they pose – not Australian farmers.”

For more information go to www.haveyoursay.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-funding

This article appeared in the Allora Advertiser, 16 August 2023.