Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

You voted with us on this, okay, so don’t get too angry! I know you do not always remember how you voted, but you voted with us. You might have a National Party member either side of you, but you did not vote with them on this one.

We have on the bulk wheat exports the different prices between what you get on the west coast of Australia and what you get on the east coast of Australia. Wheat Exports Australia, in the information they have provided, have provided graphs on the three different markers: the Chicago Board of Trade for the international price, the Fremantle price and marker for the west coast price and Newcastle for the east coast price. Before these reforms were introduced, the Chicago price was consistently above what we were getting on the east coast of Australia or the west coast of Australia. But since growers were given a choice as to whom they wanted to sell to, first of all you find that on the east coast of Australia prices have gone up to close to parity with the Chicago price.

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