Geoff Lyons (Bass, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to express my concern about the decision of the s tate g overnment in Tasman ia to allow the importation of p oppy s traw into Tasmania from Turkey. TPI have been operating in Tasmania for eight years but have been unable to recruit enough growers to fill their required processing volumes. At the opening of the Winnaleah Irrigation Augmentation Scheme I indicated that the $140 million pumped into irrigat ion schemes in Tasmania by the f ederal Labor g overnment would provide the infrastructure needed to encourage farmers to grow new or additional poppy crops. Poppies are a good rotation crop and only Labor has provided this vital infrastructure to make this increased cropping viable.

I am aware that GS K and Tas Alkaloids have turned growers away, so the question that need s to be asked is why TPI could n ot pick up those extra hectares. The honourable m ember for Lyons and I had a c onversation with the Tasmanian m inister in an attempt to get enough growers for processors in Tasmania . We suggested a meeting between poppy growers and processors but u nfortunately that never eventuated and this importation from Turkey was approved.

Tasmanian farmers are doing it tough , with potatoes, other vegetables and forest ry experiencing difficulties. W here are the TFGA , who should be fiercely lobbying their members to grow additional poppies and the s tate g overnment to insist on refusal of importation. After all, this importation does place downward pressure on prices for our hard working poppy growers. TPI may get away with this on ce but it will not in the future. I will be fighting them all the way . (Time expired)

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