Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week, I had the privilege of hosting the Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of the Nationals in Rockhampton so that they could meet with local businesses to hear firsthand the impact that escalating costs are having. We paid a visit to a local business, Doblo's Farmers Market, who noted a significant increase in production and transportation costs for their produce. Families are paying the price for this government's poor policies, which are pushing prices of food and energy through the roof. Doblo's Farmers Market told us that locals in Rockhampton are paying 20 to 30 per cent more for their eggs than they were last year. Eggs, a staple in just about every household and once a cheap and nutritious option, are now becoming more expensive than ever. Our farmers are doing everything they can to meet the supply needs of our nation, yet farmers simply can't get the workers needed to produce the food and fibre our country requires. It's harder than ever for the 1,714 farmers in Capricornia to find the workers they need.

This government continues to hinder the agriculture sector with a lack of practical solutions to ease the workforce shortage. The consumer price index figures show food and non-alcoholic beverages have increased in price by 7.5 per cent, with bread and cereals up by 11.6 per cent and dairy by 15.2 per cent. Many constituents in my electorate of Capricornia are feeling the hurt in their hip pockets. What they need is good policy that drives down the cost of living, not a government with the wrong priorities.