‘Red-tape madness’ to hit live exports: MP
FEDERAL Kennedy MP Bob Katter has warned the live export industry could be under threat from new costs.
Mr Katter has claimed that an “exorbitant” number of “bureaucrats” working for the Department of Agriculture in the live export space are to blame.
But Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said they were not bureaucrats but rather regulators who were there to protect farmers, Australia’s image and the animals.
Mr Katter said the cost recovery for the industry would increase the price of exporting cattle by 400 per cent.
He said the live exports industry should not be charged
for the high number of Department of Agriculture staff.
“(Prime Minister) Scott Morrison must get on to the Department of Agriculture and end this red-tape madness immediately,” Mr Katter said.
But Mr Littleproud said the Kennedy MP had been misled and did not have the facts “as usual”.
Mr Littleproud said the taxpayer should not be lumped with the cost of regulating the industry.
“(It) is the only industry where there is no cost recovery that is sufficient to pay for it,” he said.
“They’re asking the Australian taxpayer to pay for the regulatory framework that they’ve created from their behaviour.
“At the moment, the Australian taxpayer is only recovering 25 per cent of the cost recovery basis.”
Mr Littleproud said the live export industry had been consulted and had been part of the discussions before this was implemented.