Andrew Broad (Mallee, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources. Will the minister update the House on the coalition government's free trade agreement with China, combined with other market access achievements, and how these are boosting farm-gate returns for farmers both in the great electorate of Mallee and right across the nation?

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question, and might I say that the honourable member, being a former President of the Victorian Farmers Federation, a former Nuffield Scholar and a person who bought his first farm at the age of 22 would have a strong interest and a strong reason to make sure that our nation signs up to the agreements that get a better return through the farm gate. That is what we do: get a better return through the farm gate so that businesses that are present in his electorate such as Frewstal Pty Ltd, a lamb processor employing 400 people, will get better access through reduced tariffs.

Many of the 15,000 small businesses that are in Mallee are associated with the agricultural sector. They have the capacity to employ more people. There is one business alone that this year has exported 200 containers of citrus to China, and they expect to be exporting more next year because of the free trade agreement that this country and our government have put together.

Or it might be the fact that 75 per cent of the nation's table grapes are grown in the Mildura area. These grapes are going into the Chinese market and getting a better return. It is a labour-intensive industry that is employing more people, earning money for our nation and bringing more money back to the farm gate for our farmers. Select Harvests, the largest almond producer in Australia, is vertically integrated. It is producing nuts and muesli. They will get greater access into China. Almonds are our largest horticultural product, earning $522 million a year. That is looking like it will grow to about $600 million next year.

This is real growth happening under this government. This is real delivery happening under this government. It is happening right now. It is being facilitated by the hard work that this nation and this government have put towards negotiating these agreements and getting them through.

The growth is not just in almonds. It is, as we explained yesterday, also live cattle who start their journey down in Melbourne. Those southern cattle producers can also get access to another market in the live cattle trade. It is also in areas in other seats, such as that of the member for Petrie. Fishermen in the member for Petrie's seat are fishing for spanner crabs. Spanner crabs will also get a reduction in tariffs. Those fishermen are looking forward to an expansion of their prospects by reason of these free trade agreements.

As we have always said, whether you are living by the sea or on land, it does not matter. This nation has delivered via this government a vision of a great outcome, a greater return to the farm gate and a greater return on the trawler. We have a plan. You are seeing that plan. We are most definitely delivering on the plan so that we can get more income for our nation, a better style of life, a better future and, all in all, a better return.