The Tasmanian Government opposes the imposition of new federal biosecurity taxes on our hardworking farming community.
Minister for Primary Industries and Water, Jane Howlett, said while the Tasmanian Government understands the value of keeping our island state free of pests and diseases it must not be at the expense of Tasmanian farmers who are doing it tough.
"TasFarmers have rightly called out this unfair new tax at a time when our farmers are in the grip of serious dry and drought conditions which affect their families' livelihoods," Minister Howlett said.
"We do not support the imposition of yet another Federal Labor tax on the Tasmanian farming community to subsidise mainland Australia issues.
"The question is, where does Tasmanian Labor stand on the new anti-farmer tax from their Federal Labor colleagues?
"Mr Winter claims to support jobs, but apparently not agriculture jobs
"If Labor really stands for safe, secure, well-paying jobs like Ms Finlay claims they do, then they must immediately publicly oppose this unfair tax.
Minister Howlett said she had previously written to the Federal Minister for Agriculture, Senator Murray Watt, to express the Tasmanian Government's opposition to the new tax, with no reply.
"In addition to the scant details on the potential impact on the existing levies system there is a lack of transparency about how the collected funds will actually deliver dedicated, additional and tangible biosecurity outcomes, formalised producer oversight mechanisms, and proper recognition of existing Tasmanian producer contributions to the broader biosecurity system.
"We will always back our farmers and agree with TasFarmers that this big new anti-farmer tax should be scrapped," she said.
