The Nationals are standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Australian farmers to fight Labor's fresh food tax, which will hurt families and farmers amid a cost-of-living crisis.
A new petition, Stop the Fresh Food Tax, https://www.stopthefreshfoodtax.com/#action, is being launched by The Nationals today to coincide with industry's 'day of action' to scrap the tax.
Nationals Leader David Littleproud is urging all Australian farmers and families to get behind the campaign and sign the petition to stop Labor's new fresh food tax.
"The Nationals proudly stand with the National Farmers' Federation and support our farmers on their day of action to scrap the tax," Mr Littleproud said.
"We urge families and farmers to join us in this fight and to sign the petition to stop Labor's fresh food tax. This new tax will hurt almost all Australians, because farmers will be forced to pass on costs, meaning families will feel more pain at the grocery checkout.
"Labor has continued to ignore our pleas to stop this senseless new tax. We still don't know how the tax will be collected or managed. But we do know the tax will go towards consolidated revenue.
"Sadly, time is now running out to scrap Labor's fresh food tax, which is due to be implemented on July 1, forcing farmers to pay for the biosecurity risks of their international importers. The new tax makes absolutely no sense and will hurt families and farmers who are already under pressure. In what parallel universe would a government charge its own farmers to pay for the risks their competitors are creating?"
A Senate inquiry into the levy is expected to hand down its report on Friday, ahead of an upcoming crucial Senate vote, with 84 agricultural commodities set to be taxed to raise $150 million.
"This policy is less popular than a picnic on a fire ant nest"
NFF President David Jochinke said farmers are fed up with the government's dogged pursuit of implementing the levy, despite strong opposition from industry and independent experts.
"We vehemently oppose this policy as it is rotten to its core," Mr Jochinke said.
"This policy is less popular than a picnic on a fire ant nest. The fact the government is persisting just shows contempt for farmers and proper policy.
"On behalf of our members, nearly all of Australia's 85,000 producers and the thousands of individuals and businesses in the supply chain, we are telling this Government to scrap the tax.
"We are less than two months away from this proposed levy being implemented, yet we still have no idea how the levy will be collected and managed. What a shambles."
