Published Monday, 06 August, 2007 at 02:41 PM
Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries
The Honourable Tim Mulherin
OPPOSITION NEEDS TO PAY ATTENTION
AMENDED VERSION
The Opposition’s wretched run in attempting to score political points from the primary industries 2007-08 Budget continued today, Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries Tim Mulherin said.
“Yet again, Mr Horan has conveniently overlooked the facts with a silly claim that the Queensland Government will slug producers with a “massive’’ and “sneaky’’ new tax for property and brands registration.
“Two issues are in play here.
“Firstly, had Mr Horan paid attention when the DPI&F Budget was announced he would have noticed the foreshadowing of a new system for registering livestock properties and brands to further enhance traceability of animals in Queensland during a biosecurity incident.
“The initiative, which has been broached previously with stakeholders such as Agforce, was to include a new set of fees, charges and exemptions.
“This is hardly secretive.
“Secondly, had he bothered to ask, he would have uncovered that the initiative has been put on hold, while we further examine the issue.
“This will of course include further discussions with stakeholders.
“As for his comment that amalgamations will affect the state’s biosecurity because there will be fewer mayors; the less said about such a ludicrous statement the better.
“Today’s outburst just looks like a desperate attempt from Mr Horan to grab some media attention, just as he tried to, unsuccessfully, at Estimates by trying to make an issue of the Treasurer not mentioning primary industries and fisheries in her Budget priorities speech.
“That was such an issue of concern for the Nationals that his parliamentary Leader Mr Seeney didn’t bother mentioning primary industries or fisheries in his Budget reply.
“Quite frankly Mr Horan is beginning to sound like a broken record, monotonously going over and over the same old lines.’’
Media: 32396530
The Opposition’s wretched run in attempting to score political points from the primary industries 2007-08 Budget continued today, Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries Tim Mulherin said.
“Yet again, Mr Horan has conveniently overlooked the facts with a silly claim that the Queensland Government will slug producers with a “massive’’ and “sneaky’’ new tax for property and brands registration.
“Two issues are in play here.
“Firstly, had Mr Horan paid attention when the DPI&F Budget was announced he would have noticed the foreshadowing of a new system for registering livestock properties and brands to further enhance traceability of animals in Queensland during a biosecurity incident.
“The initiative, which has been broached previously with stakeholders such as Agforce, was to include a new set of fees, charges and exemptions.
“This is hardly secretive.
“Secondly, had he bothered to ask, he would have uncovered that the initiative has been put on hold, while we further examine the issue.
“This will of course include further discussions with stakeholders.
“As for his comment that amalgamations will affect the state’s biosecurity because there will be fewer mayors; the less said about such a ludicrous statement the better.
“Today’s outburst just looks like a desperate attempt from Mr Horan to grab some media attention, just as he tried to, unsuccessfully, at Estimates by trying to make an issue of the Treasurer not mentioning primary industries and fisheries in her Budget priorities speech.
“That was such an issue of concern for the Nationals that his parliamentary Leader Mr Seeney didn’t bother mentioning primary industries or fisheries in his Budget reply.
“Quite frankly Mr Horan is beginning to sound like a broken record, monotonously going over and over the same old lines.’’
Media: 32396530