The Northern Rivers Times
34 RURAL NEWS
February 1, 2024!!!
Government rejects compensation offer, betrays cattle industry The Federal Government has shot an arrow into the hopes of Australia’s cattle industry by rejecting a counter offer in the long-running class action over the unlawful closure of the live cattle export trade in 2011. National Farmers’ Federation Acting CEO, Charlie Thomas, said the Government had ignored an opportunity to address years of financial and emotional pain, and allow claimants to put the saga behind them once and for all. “This is a petty and callous move by a Government which seems determined to deny justice to these families at all costs. “They had the chance to do the right thing and end years of pain. Instead, they’ve chosen to allow this matter to fester and be dragged back through the courts.” It’s been more than three years since a court found that the Gillard Government had committed malfeasance in its decision to shut down the live cattle export trade from Australia. Late last year, the claimants made a fair offer in good faith to the Commonwealth of
$510 million plus costs and interest to break a legal deadlock and settle the Brett Cattle Company Pty Ltd v Minister for Agriculture [2020] FCA 732 class action. The group of 215 parties to the class action include cattle producers, exporters and independent service providers, such as veterinarians and musterers, who were devastated by the Government’s decision to shut down the trade. “The Government’s political decision to end live export virtually overnight, showed disregard for its own departmental advice, and caused widespread financial damage, family break ups, and even suicide among those impacted. “Far from acting as a model litigant, they’re now pulling out every delay tactic they can find to avoid making good on their wrongdoing. “It seems likely at this point that the Government’s tactics will force this matter back into the courts to secure an outcome. “While this is no doubt a disappointing day for those impacted, we’ll continue to stand alongside them until this matter is resolved.
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RIC reaches 3,000 farm loan customers
(From L-R) Kate, Andrew, Trudy, Hugo and Emily Pilmore on their West Range property in South Australia.
Australian Government low-interest farm business lender, RIC (Regional Investment Corporation) has reached a new milestone settling 3,000 farm loans worth more than $3.24 billion since inception on 1 July 2018. RIC Chief Executive Officer John Howard said reaching 3,000 farm loan customers was a significant milestone and is pleased RIC has supported so many Australian farmers during succession, startup and through tough financial times. “We’re proud to support Australian farmers with our lowinterest loans to build farm businesses like our 3,000th customer, Earth Eggs, operated by South Australian egg producers, Trudy and Andrew Pilmore,” said
Mr Howard. “Trudy and Andrew have decades of industry experience and it’s great to see them bring this to owning their very own farm business for the first time with help from their RIC AgriStarter Loan. “Agriculture is a challenging industry to start out and operate in, but RIC exists to provide some financial relief to family-owned farm businesses across Australia.” As owners of Earth Eggs in West Range, South Australia, the Pilmores settled their RIC AgriStarter Loan at the end of 2023. This low-interest loan will help to fast-track their business plans after they purchased the egg production business in September 2022, after 22 years’ experience working for others in the
industry. Mr Pilmore said: “We were looking at how we were going to finish off some of the projects to build the business and it was pretty tough with the interest rates – our cash flow was very tight.” It was the RIC AgriStarter Loan’s 5-year interest-only period that appealed to the Pilmores who have eliminated more expensive farm business finance and are using the money they save to keep the interest repayments on their remaining debt down. Mrs Pilmore said: “Having a cheaper interest rate means we can keep going and finish those projects, and we buy-in additional pullets about four times a year. “Our RIC loan also means we can eliminate our equipment finance
loan and the extra money we will save will be used to keep the interest on our remaining debt down. “It was really a grand leap of faith, but I think everybody needs a good egg.” Earth Eggs is home to 8,000 hens producing up to 4,500 eggs daily. Its product is classed as pastured free range, a type of production which focuses on lower stocking densities and rotational grazing so there is always ground cover and plant species for the hens to eat, in addition to grain. For more on RIC loans, visit www.ric. gov.au/loans For more on Trudy and Andrew Pilmore’s story, visit www.ric.gov. au/customer-stories/ Egg-citing-times-fornew-farm-business
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