Tony Windsor (New England, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I will not go through the whole wheat debate again, because I think people do want to get out of here tonight, but I do have an amendment that two members have already referred to. The member for Calare is supporting it and the member for Mallee suggested he will not, at least—I am not sure what the government’s view will be. But there are a number of issues that I would like to raise in this debate on the Wheat Marketing Amendment Bill 2006.

Every member of parliament who has spoken on this issue in recent months has spoken with great concern for the wheat grower. The member for Mallee did just a moment ago. He has great concern for the grower, the people he pulls up and talks to. The minister spoke about the wheat grower, how paramount this issue is to the wheat grower. The Leader of the National Party and Deputy Prime Minister at the rally in Victoria told the wheat growers that, if there were going to be significant changes to the wheat marketing arrangements in terms of the single desk, there would be a poll taken of wheat growers so that wheat growers could express their views.

The member for Mallee has a strong view. I appreciate his view that something similar to the situation the wheat growers have now should be maintained into the future. I think that is a view that is held fairly strongly by the wheat growers. I just cannot see why a poll of their views on the options that are going to be presented to them is a threat to the system that the member for Mallee believes in. Surely it would be a support if that is what the growers want. The Deputy Prime Minister is going to put his trust in the—

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