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Friday, January 28, 2022

RURAL Put Your Support Where Your Fork Is, Premier: KAP

THIS year, Katter's Australian Party is looking forward to strong support from the Palaszczuk Labor Government towards its pro-Australian seafood labelling bill. The bill is designed to increase consumer awareness, support Australian industries, and create more local jobs.

KAP Leader and Traeger MP Robbie Katter's Food (Labelling of Seafood) Amendment Bill 2021, which is currently open for community consultation, would introduce mandatory country of origin labelling (CoOL) for all seafood sold in the hospitality sector.

This would bring hospitality in line with retail, which is already required by Federal law to label seafood products with their origins at the point of purchase.

Mr Katter said fresh and delicious local seafood had been at the top of most Queenslanders wish lists during the recent festive season. He urged people to put in writing their love of Aussie produce and submit their support of his bill by February 9.

He said he was expecting strong support for his legislation when it is debated from the Premier, and Minister for Fisheries Mark Furner, who recently threw their weight behind the local seafood industry. [1]

In a media release last month, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk urged Queenslanders "to put plenty of local seafood on the menu" during the festive period, while Minister Furner said it was essential to buy Queensland caught and farmed seafood. "You'll be enjoying world-class produce, local businesses will profit, and our hard-working professional fishers can continue to support their families," Mr Furner said in the Government's statement.

"Let's put our commercial fishers and aquaculture farmers at the very top of our Christmas' nice list' and stock up on the very best. "At your local fish supplier, make sure you ask for Queensland seafood."

Mr Katter said while the platitudes were lovely, the local seafood sector needed more than a media release.

He said Australia was a net importer of seafood, with up to 60 per cent of what's consumed annually being caught or farmed overseas, where quality, environmental, and sustainability standards often differ significantly from Australia's 'gold standard.' "People can't make a conscious choice to buy Australian, or Queensland, seafood if they are not easily able to find out the origins of what's on a menu," he said. "While the retail sector, like supermarkets and seafood stores, are already required to label their products with its origins, the law is silent when it comes to fish and chip shops, cafes, restaurants and takeaway outlets. "This doesn't make sense, and we want to see this gaping hole in the industry closed – it will cost the State, hospitality businesses and consumers next-tonothing but will certainly have positive flow-on effects that will be felt for years to come."

Submissions to the KAP's seafood labelling bill can be sent to the State Development Regional Industries Committee by emailing sdric@parliament.qld.gov.au – submissions close at 5 pm, February 9, 2022.

Robbie Katter MP, pictured with Nick Dametto MP, is passionate about supporting the Aussie seafood industry. Photo credit - Scott RadfordChisholm

The Explanatory Notes for the bill can be found at: https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/tableoffice/ tabledpapers/2021/5721T1817.pdf [1] https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/93989

Govt. assistance needed as Fall Armyworm spread continues

FEDERAL Member for Kennedy, Bob Katter MP, has written to the State and Federal Governments requesting that the sprays used to exterminate the Fall Armyworm be subsidised. They cost farmers more than $600 per litre.

Mr Katter’s request comes following a new pest outbreak in Far North Queensland at the Basilisk Blooms tropical flower farm in Boogan, south of Innisfail and Cairns.

It’s believed to be the first time the Fall Armyworm has been detected infesting a flower farm.

Basilisk Blooms’ owner, Heidi Piccolo, said they found the Fall Armyworms this week after regular spraying. The senior entomologist identified them in Bowen.

“We’ve sprayed the plants with a number of insecticides, one called Success, and one called Entrust, and the Queensland Agriculture Department has recommended we use a spray called Fawligen that specifically targets Fall Armyworms. One spray targets the moths, and the other targets the actual worms in the soil and kills the larvae,” she said.

“It won’t get rid of them completely, but it will hold them at bay. The whole district needs to be working together. Even if we eradicate them, what’s to say a farmer around the corner won’t have them on their place, and then they’ll spread back onto ours. All farmers need to be aware so that we can stop the movement of the Fall Armyworm.

“I would welcome a government subsidy on the sprays as one of them costs $600-a-litre. It’s squeezing our profit margins. Other products we use have dramatically increased as well. Fertiliser is up to $700 a tonne, the poison we use is up to $100 a tonne, and airlines have put up their freight prices. We can’t keep putting the price of our flowers up; people won’t pay for them.”

Mr Katter said his request to the State and Federal Ministers for subsidies would only be a minuscule amount of money but would greatly assist in controlling the Fall Armyworm.

“There’ll be a hell of a lot of work to get rid of the damn things,” Mr Katter said.

“For a small amount of money, the State and Federal Governments can assist these farmers who’ve lost their ability to make a profit. These Fall Armyworms target maise, corn, sorghum, pawpaw, sugar cane, and flowers.

“If the Fall Armyworms continue to take out our farmers, then the Government will lose tax revenue. So, we are asking for this subsidy for the good of the Australian people, not just the farmers.”

State Member for Hill, Shane Knuth MP, said he was pleased the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) was taking the issue seriously after contacting them.

“DAF immediately sprang into action and are assisting the Piccolo’s with sample testing and on the best sprays to use,” he said.

“I support Bob Katter’s efforts to get the costly insecticides subsidised. The Army Worm is destroying crops, and we are seeing this right across the Tablelands, to the coast and the entire Hill Electorate.”

Fall Army Worms have been eating a Heliconia Variety of Psitticorums grown at Basilisk Blooms in Boogan. Photo Credit - Basilisk Blooms.