I read the QFF and Agforce article in last weeks QCL regarding the rural debt taskforce and it gave me the impression that the LNP, Agforce and the QFF are all reading from the same script but it begs the question; just who is the writer?
The suggestion by Deb Frecklington that apparently there was not a unified ticket on all the whole 14 recommendations of the task force, alludes to the QFF and Agforce positions on several major recommendations, namely the Reconstruction Bank and the Royal Commission into the banking industry.
So, two members not in favour of the recommendations – what about majority opinion?
Is the LNP unable to hear what the majority had to say and get behind it?
Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t a MP meant to be the voice of its people they represent? So the LNP wishes to disregard the number of forums held across Queensland late last year which had huge attendance and overwhelming support, then were backed up by well respected academics - are they wrong? Rubbish!
So where is the LNPs support of all these people?
And what of the six hundred odd delegates that voted in support at the LNP State Convention in July 2015 of a resolution to establish a Reconstruction and Development Bank, does the LNP still choose to ignore its members even after the last state election. I see myself as a conservative, a person who wants to see small business thrive,both town and country so our rural towns have employment, pay and living standards matching those of our city cousins. Who wants to see better health services for rural communities, who wants to give our kids the same opportunities in education.
I am fortunate to have had a good education and hold an agricultural economics degree which I feel enables me to make comment on the continual line that “farmers need to be better educated in financial management”. I can assure you that regardless of financial knowledge when government, banks and the weather all conspire against you, they will all have a win! Thanks Deb, QFF and Agforce for your concerns. Next time I receive a phone call or an email regarding another family being bullied, battered and basically treated like a prisoner in their own home by these financial dictators, I’ll enlighten them of your stances on this topic. As to Mr Armitage, I welcome your comments on implementing the recommendations of the taskforce quickly, however, as for the two farmer organisations I have this to say;
Firstly that there is something absurd about the fact that the two industry organisations will not support the outcomes even though the academics are totally in step with the rest of the Taskforce.
Secondly, the decreasing membership numbers of these organisations should speak volumes to these organisations of their failure to represent and provide sound policy in step with community expectations.
Further, I would go to the point of saying that the relationship of these organisations with government is so close as to make it almost impossible to effectively represent producers, and the reality is that the representation is in reverse, that is the organisations in fact represent government to producers.
So Rob Katter, ignore these traitors of rural Australia and continue to pursue the task-force recommendations as hard as you can. Your party is all that stands between freedom and the abyss.
- Doug Andrews, Roma