The LNP has questioned state Agriculture Minister Mark Furner on his competency and asked him to clarify his position on $1 a litre milk after he told ABC's Steve Austin that he was "disappointed" by Woolworths' decision to end the campaign.
Agriculture spokesman Tony Perrett raised the issue during Question Time on Tuesday afternoon, to which Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk responded that she wanted to confirm what the minister had said and would get back to the House.
Mr Perrett said this was a classic example of a Labor agriculture minister not being across their brief either through willful ignorance or malicious incompetence.
“If Annastacia Palaszczuk’s agriculture minister doesn’t understand the unfair market pressures our supermarkets have forced on our Queensland dairy industry, what hope does he have being a part of the solution?" Mr Perrett said.
“If Minister Furner can’t stand up for our dairy farmers then what hope did we ever have in him fighting for farmers in the recent unfair vegetation management laws, and cutting agriculture education by closing our agricultural colleges and SIPP.
“Minister Furner and Labor’s track record says it all. They don’t understand or care about Queensland farmers and the issues in regional Queensland."
Following the interview with ABC, Minister Furner released a statement saying it was pleasing that Woolworths had listened to consumer concern.
Queensland Dairyfarmers' Organisation vice president Matthew Trace said state government support of QDO and Queensland dairy farmers through the Go Local Campaign and the Fair Milk Mark Initiative was important.
"The best immediate response from state governments for the dairy industry would be public support to only shop at Woolworths until Coles and Aldi do the right thing," he said.
