A PROPOSAL for Indonesian interests to relieve graziers in Queensland’s lower Gulf of their debt burden in return for a supply of cattle for three years will be aired at a public meeting in Mt Surprise on July 16.
The meeting is being organised by Einasleigh grazier Terry Ann Cranwell, who said Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council CEO Alison Penfold and LNP Senator Matt Canavan would be in attendance.
She hoped representatives from the banking industry would also be present.
Ms Cranwell said she had been discussing ways of helping debt-ridden local cattlemen stay on their properties with Australia-Indonesia Business Council executive member Welly Salim.
Mr Salim has been working with the Richmond River Cattle Producers Association on a proposal to live export cattle via the Port of Yamba in northern New South Wales to Indonesia and Timor-Leste, which has raised the ire of Casino meatworkers and animal welfare activists.
Mr Salim is described in media reports as having a business partnership with the Wagner family who recently constructed Brisbane West Wellcamp airport, and he managed an Oceanic Trading Group property at Tennant Creek for a short while in 2011.
“The idea is of meeting bank debts in return for cattle going direct to Indonesia for three years,” Ms Cranwell said.
“It could be a partnership with graziers by way of either cattle or property.”
She said she was trying to help graziers stay viable and on their land.
“You’ve got to keep the people who know their country here,” she said.
Figures quoted to her of an Etheridge Shire Council survey of 22 properties, 20 of whom responded that they were not viable and were carrying an average debt of $4 million, were prompting her action.
“It’s worth a try,” she said.
“There’s no promises made, but it’s so dry – is anyone else going to buy these places.”
Fellow Etheridge shire grazier Barry Hughes, who chairs the Gulf Cattlemen’s Association, said he didn’t have enough information at present to make a call on the proposal.
He said he would attend the meeting to hear what was proposed but had some reservations based on the possible price structure.
“If it’s based on cattle prices and a return on product, it might not stack up,” he said.
“I have great concern for people who feel they have nowhere to turn.”
He added that the GCA already had wheels in motion to address debt issues.
Mr Hughes and fellow grazier Rob Atkinson held meetings in Longreach, Hughenden and Georgetown in March to float a collective bargaining approach to leverage a better deal on interest rates via the Agricultural Asset Management group.
Attendees were given an April 30 deadline to indicate their interest in the concept, but proponents remain tight-lipped on progress made since.
Ms Cranwell said July’s meeting would be open to the public but there would be opportunities for people to speak privately with Mr Salim.
Responding to concerns about foreign ownership, Ms Cranwell pointed to the days of King Ranch’s property acquisitions of the 1950s.
“At the end of the day, they were all sold back to Australians,” she said. “You can’t pick the land up and take it away.
“I am hearing of people having to sell more and more cattle to pay off debt, even breeders, which is very serious.
“We’ve just got to do something to help them.”
Queensland Country Life tried to contact ALEC CEO Alison Penfold but she was overseas and not available for comment.
