Over 2000 farmers and supporters gathered on the lawns in front of Parliament House in Canberra on 10 September, with an aim to protest anti-farming policies ahead of the next election.
Organised by the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF), the body representing farmers and agriculture across Australia, the rally was preceded by a convoy of about 40 trucks and farm vehicles making their way past Parliament.
The NFF stated that priority issues for the farmers include:
- The activist-led ban on live sheep exports by sea,
- Refusal to settle the live cattle class action,
- Calls to scrap the Diesel Fuel Rebate,
- Proposed new taxes for biosecurity and on superannuation,
- Calls to scrap the 88 days of specified work for backpackers,
- Water buybacks in the Murray Darling Basin and protecting the Great Artesian Basin,
- Unnecessary red tape from Scope 3 emissions reporting,
- The community impacts of energy and renewables developments.
NFF president, David Jochinke, said he met with prime minister Anthony Albanese to emphasise the organisation’s disagreement with the decision to ban the live export of sheep.
“We also made it very clear that any policy they develop, and when I say they, I mean those people in the house behind us need to have their key stakeholder at the table,” said Jochinke.
“The reality is we stand between prosperity and the starvation of this nation… We are some of the best farmers in the world. So, there is a very simple thing we have to say: No farmers, no food.
“It’s a simple message, we have to make sure our voices are heard but more so we have to be smart and we have to put our policy first, and the only way that can happen is when we are consulted,” he said.
The NFF also launched a petition in support of the farmer rally and its priorities, which has reached almost 1900 signatures.
