Robert Brokenshire, Family First MLC (5AA 11.10-11.16) HomeStart Finance loans
(Smithson: Thousands less access HomeStart, loans are bloating … Robert Brokenshire has revealed that the recently released HomeStart Finance annual report indicates that thousands of South Australian families and pensioners have been unable to access HomeStart Finance in the last six years. Robert … what’s your evidence?)
… we’ve had a look through the HomeStart … annual report … and Family First and I’m sure all the members of parliament … have had lots of people complaining about rent hikes, affordability and not being able to access housing. And what we’ve discovered is that … there’s actually 2,300 less loans that were made available in this last financial year than just seven years ago and on top of that we’ve seen the average size of that loan going from $63,000 approximately to over $100,000. So what we’re saying is that bearing in mind … HomeStart does return a profit to the Government, in fact there’s been hundreds of millions over the years, plus the stamp duty and the land tax and the GST that you get, we’re saying that really HomeStart needs to have more money made available so people can get into the housing market.
(Smithson: Is it … the low income families that are missing out?)
… HomeStart is actually there targeted at those lower income families … and it’s targeted at people that … generally wouldn’t actually be able to get perhaps an ANZ or another commercial loan. So HomeStart should be in a position to provide that opportunity for people to get into the housing market but when you’ve got 2,300 less loans this last year than seven years ago it says there’s a problem. And I think the other stat that we found that’s really interesting is that when you look at South Australia … and the households experiencing housing stress that’s actually been accelerating over the last 10 or 12 years and there’s something like 60,000 people that are actually now considered to be having housing stress problems, that is paying their mortgages and yet the Government’s projections are to try and get that back to about 21,000 by 2014. So really you’ve got the graphs going the wrong way in both directions when it comes to lending from HomeStart and housing stress problems.
(Smithson: …I would have thought that the Government would be falling over itself to make money available and I can see that perhaps housing prices or land prices have come up and you need more money to come out of HomeStart for the average family to … get the loan to pay for the land. But once they get into the system I would have thought the Government would want as many HomeStarts as possible because that means more stamp duty for them … more revenue coming out of that property. Is it a case that there’s just not enough money in the pool?)
Well that’s something that I’m actually going to be enquiring to the Treasurer about because … if there’s money available and … the Government’s got the capacity to remember … to borrow money at a low rate and if they’re then lending that money back to South Australians to get into housing at a higher rate there’s not much in the way of risk there. But you’re right … get people into a house the first time and it sets them up for life … often they end up buying their second or third home before they retire … so the Government get revenue along the way, jobs are created. And the other thing that we tend to forget is that when they do buy a new home, and a lot of the HomeStart homes are for brand new homes, you’ve got all the fittings inside and furniture and of course government creams a fair bit of GST off of all that.
(Smithson: …if these people aren’t getting their HomeStart loans … if they’re not getting the loans, they’re not moving into the next strata, what are they doing? Do they stay renters all their life?)
Well that’s the sad and tragic situation … I’ve had more and more people … even in the last probably nine months than any other time I can recall coming to me in my office and saying … ‘We’re really finding it tough, we can’t get into the housing market and we’re also finding it hard to even meet … rent payments because they’ve been on the increase’. So that’s what they’re doing … but my key point … is that if the Government doesn’t use HomeStart to get people on lower incomes into their own homes the unfortunately they’re on a slippery slope when it comes to … ever getting into a home if rent’s increasing as much as it has been lately. So what I’m saying is really the Government should have a close look at this. It’s in the best interest of both government and the community if HomeStart can actually lend more money because clearly there’s 2,300 families for a start there now that would have liked to have accessed HomeStart but in my opinion haven’t been able to.
(Smithson: Do you see that the Treasurer might say … HomeStart and loans, we’ve had low interest rates across the board for the last year and a half or so … people in general have had perhaps a bit of a luxury, a bit of a holiday with buying homes and first homebuyers grants … and handouts from the Federal Government to stimulate the economy, do you think that … Kevin Foley in terms of HomeStart might say ‘It’s not a high priority. We’ve had it too good for too long and this is now just balancing it all out.’?)
I’d hope that Kevin wouldn’t say that … I believe that he has the same compassion for people getting into housing as I do and I’m sure all South Australians. And … whilst there have been some incentives during the global financial crisis what concerns me is that where are things going in the next one, two, three years? And if we have a slow and soft recovery from that then I think the Government have got to start to look beyond the next election and say … how do we continue to stimulate? And one of the ways of doing that is putting more money into HomeStart and allowing more home loan availability there … the other key benefit of HomeStart … is that you can often get in there with a lesser deposit than the commercial banks and that gives people a great step up.
(Smithson: …I wish you luck Rob … you’re going to take this a step further, how are you going to do that?)
… what I’ll be doing now is writing to Kevin Foley and saying … here are your own … departmental figures from HomeStart in their annual report. Clearly … affordability and lack of opportunity for several thousand people indicates that HomeStart needs an injection of further investment money and I’ll be asking him to advise me on … where they’re up to with that and then I’ll pursue it from there. I’d also love to hear from your listeners … we’ll be working over most of the Christmas break expect for next week. If they’re having trouble getting loans from HomeStart that would help me too because that gives me a bit of further evidence … to put to the Treasurer … the Government do obviously need to see that there’s a demand there.
(Smithson: …thanks very much … one thing about Rob Brokenshire he doesn’t mind a bit of hard work and working long hours. I think that comes from his dairy days of milking the cows, getting up early, getting on with the day … he doesn’t mind hard work and he’s there to help you … so give him a call if … you think he may be able to help you.)
~
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
Sexualisation of children - offensive baby wear at Cotton On stores - Radio Comments - 18 December 2009
Dennis Hood, Family First (5AA 10.06-10.15) Concerns about offensive t-shirts for children at Cotton On
(Smithson: …Family First MLC, Dennis Hood is holding clothing company, Cotton On accountable to its promise to remove offensively labelled babies clothes, Dennis on the line … now are you making any headway? … what is so offensive about these t-shirts?)
… what we’re talking about here are t-shirts in the size of infants clothing … with slogans on them such as, ‘condom broke’, or ‘I’m living proof my mum is easy’, ‘mummy likes it on top’, ‘I’m a tits man’, you know things like this … very clearly focused on sexual activity and these t-shirts are designed to be worn by very, very young children indeed
(Smithson: …what ages are we talking from? …)
… the smallest ones … are size 00 … well under one years old … and to be wearing t-shirts with those types of slogans on them … I strongly object to it … I think what we have here is just another example and unfortunately we see so many of them these days, but just another example of what is clear sexualisation of children … to think that a child of that age … has no concept what so ever what the slogan on the t-shirt means, to think that they’re being used as essentially an amusement piece for adults in a sexual way, I just think is just fundamentally wrong … I’m really annoyed about it
(Smithson: …do you think looking at it, the child itself, it’s not as if the child is the subject of sexual abuse here … there might be something very distasteful about it, but do you think the intent, but do you think the intent from the clothing company is, okay, you wear it as a bit of a joke … or is that exploiting the child? … are we getting a bit too serious about this?)
… I’m not one who is concerned about political correctness to be honest … generally political correctness in our society has gone way too far … it’s not something I advocate for … in the case of children and particularly the sexualisation of children, I think as a society we need to be very, very serious about it indeed … the truth is, there are more sexualised attacks on children than ever before in the history of our society … we have a situation where very young children are clearly being exploited … for the humour or gratification of some pretty silly adults … I just don’t understand what kind of parent would want to put that sort of t-shirt on their child … there are people out there that seek to do the wrong thing to children … that’s an unfortunate reality … and obviously to see a child with something written across its front which is advertently sexual, the conversations I’ve had with some people that are experts in this field, suggest to me and they believe as well that it would actually stimulate sexual thoughts in those particular individuals … that’s absolutely not on … and the second thing of course is the prospect of slightly older children … maybe the age of 7 or 8 … that have some understanding of what the slogan might mean and they might see that hold on, this very young child can wear a t-shirt that has sexual connotations, why can’t I mummy and where does it stop … it goes beyond the bounds of good taste … I can’t understand why any parent at all would want their child to have a t-shirt with such a slogan on it … in this situation it is such a serious issue there’s just no bounds for being remotely careless about it
(Smithson: …you’ve approached the clothing company and there has been a commitment, but it sounds like it’s a pretty flimsy one … that might not actually be carried through)
That’s right … they have given a commitment that they will withdraw this material but that was back in August when we were talking about it then … and just this week one of my staff members was in the city and actually took some photos on her mobile phone of t-shirts still for sale in this store … some things really go beyond the bounds of good taste … there was such a public reaction when we initially raised this issue a few months ago against these products and I just can’t see it’s in the company’s interest … we’ve made the decision as a family that we won’t be shopping in that store until these t-shirts are removed
(Smithson: …how far can you take this legally? …)
… I’ve informed the company that we were going to give them the benefit of the doubt and if they have them removed quick smart then we wouldn’t pursue it any further, but we’re now at a point a few months down the track where … things are moving way too slow for my liking, so I’m asking Parliamentary council to investigate what can be done legally … this is obviously tricky ground because we’re dealing with matters of free speech and it really goes to much deeper issues than t-shirts on children … I would prefer that we didn’t have to go down that path to legislate … I’m one who advocate for free speech within reason, but if we’re going to … misuse that free speech in the sexualisation of children, then I believe there is ground for legal remedy …
(Smithson: …is it just one store? … or is right across the city?)
No it’s the only store I’ve seen these particular t-shirts in … when you walk in to a video store for example, your children can be exposed to very sexual images on video covers or pornographic videos and the like … children are potentially bombarded by these sorts of things where ever they go and on that issue Family First moved a bill … which has got through the Parliament so that video stores will be required early in the new year to make sure that pornographic videos are in a separate section in their store so that children can’t see them
(Smithson: …thanks very much.)
~
(Smithson: …Family First MLC, Dennis Hood is holding clothing company, Cotton On accountable to its promise to remove offensively labelled babies clothes, Dennis on the line … now are you making any headway? … what is so offensive about these t-shirts?)
… what we’re talking about here are t-shirts in the size of infants clothing … with slogans on them such as, ‘condom broke’, or ‘I’m living proof my mum is easy’, ‘mummy likes it on top’, ‘I’m a tits man’, you know things like this … very clearly focused on sexual activity and these t-shirts are designed to be worn by very, very young children indeed
(Smithson: …what ages are we talking from? …)
… the smallest ones … are size 00 … well under one years old … and to be wearing t-shirts with those types of slogans on them … I strongly object to it … I think what we have here is just another example and unfortunately we see so many of them these days, but just another example of what is clear sexualisation of children … to think that a child of that age … has no concept what so ever what the slogan on the t-shirt means, to think that they’re being used as essentially an amusement piece for adults in a sexual way, I just think is just fundamentally wrong … I’m really annoyed about it
(Smithson: …do you think looking at it, the child itself, it’s not as if the child is the subject of sexual abuse here … there might be something very distasteful about it, but do you think the intent, but do you think the intent from the clothing company is, okay, you wear it as a bit of a joke … or is that exploiting the child? … are we getting a bit too serious about this?)
… I’m not one who is concerned about political correctness to be honest … generally political correctness in our society has gone way too far … it’s not something I advocate for … in the case of children and particularly the sexualisation of children, I think as a society we need to be very, very serious about it indeed … the truth is, there are more sexualised attacks on children than ever before in the history of our society … we have a situation where very young children are clearly being exploited … for the humour or gratification of some pretty silly adults … I just don’t understand what kind of parent would want to put that sort of t-shirt on their child … there are people out there that seek to do the wrong thing to children … that’s an unfortunate reality … and obviously to see a child with something written across its front which is advertently sexual, the conversations I’ve had with some people that are experts in this field, suggest to me and they believe as well that it would actually stimulate sexual thoughts in those particular individuals … that’s absolutely not on … and the second thing of course is the prospect of slightly older children … maybe the age of 7 or 8 … that have some understanding of what the slogan might mean and they might see that hold on, this very young child can wear a t-shirt that has sexual connotations, why can’t I mummy and where does it stop … it goes beyond the bounds of good taste … I can’t understand why any parent at all would want their child to have a t-shirt with such a slogan on it … in this situation it is such a serious issue there’s just no bounds for being remotely careless about it
(Smithson: …you’ve approached the clothing company and there has been a commitment, but it sounds like it’s a pretty flimsy one … that might not actually be carried through)
That’s right … they have given a commitment that they will withdraw this material but that was back in August when we were talking about it then … and just this week one of my staff members was in the city and actually took some photos on her mobile phone of t-shirts still for sale in this store … some things really go beyond the bounds of good taste … there was such a public reaction when we initially raised this issue a few months ago against these products and I just can’t see it’s in the company’s interest … we’ve made the decision as a family that we won’t be shopping in that store until these t-shirts are removed
(Smithson: …how far can you take this legally? …)
… I’ve informed the company that we were going to give them the benefit of the doubt and if they have them removed quick smart then we wouldn’t pursue it any further, but we’re now at a point a few months down the track where … things are moving way too slow for my liking, so I’m asking Parliamentary council to investigate what can be done legally … this is obviously tricky ground because we’re dealing with matters of free speech and it really goes to much deeper issues than t-shirts on children … I would prefer that we didn’t have to go down that path to legislate … I’m one who advocate for free speech within reason, but if we’re going to … misuse that free speech in the sexualisation of children, then I believe there is ground for legal remedy …
(Smithson: …is it just one store? … or is right across the city?)
No it’s the only store I’ve seen these particular t-shirts in … when you walk in to a video store for example, your children can be exposed to very sexual images on video covers or pornographic videos and the like … children are potentially bombarded by these sorts of things where ever they go and on that issue Family First moved a bill … which has got through the Parliament so that video stores will be required early in the new year to make sure that pornographic videos are in a separate section in their store so that children can’t see them
(Smithson: …thanks very much.)
~
Concerning calls for $250 on the spot fine for drunks - Radio comments - 18 December 2009
Rob Brokenshire, Family First MLC (5AA 9.43-9.44) Call to introduce a $250 on the spot fine for drunken troublemakers
(Smithson: Rob Brokenshire, hi.)
… I’ve actually done two freedom of informations on the establishment level numbers … for police in the Adelaide area, and consistently for two years now those documents show that we’ve been 20 police under the establishment level … the establishment level is set by senior police based on what they think they need in the way of policing … I’ve got to challenge the Government when they say they’ve got enough police there … particularly after three or four o’clock in the morning … the licensees are pretty right when they say they need a greater police presence.
~
(Smithson: Rob Brokenshire, hi.)
… I’ve actually done two freedom of informations on the establishment level numbers … for police in the Adelaide area, and consistently for two years now those documents show that we’ve been 20 police under the establishment level … the establishment level is set by senior police based on what they think they need in the way of policing … I’ve got to challenge the Government when they say they’ve got enough police there … particularly after three or four o’clock in the morning … the licensees are pretty right when they say they need a greater police presence.
~
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Concern about broad-based tax impact on SA's wine industry - Radio Comments - Wednesday 16 December 2009
Rob Brokenshire, Family First MLC (5AA 12.12-12.16) Proposed volumetric tax system on alcohol
(Smithson: … taxing alcohol producers is … an easy get for … any Government … in most respects it’s fair and reasonable to expect that these taxes would apply, but there’s a proposal on the table for a new volumetric tax system, which would see the … tax hikes across the board, big hikes. The wine industry, which is a huge export business for this State and this country stands to be hardest hit, according to some. Family First MLC, Rob Brokenshire, is leading the charge to throw a protection blanket over the wine industry … tell us about your concerns with this proposal?)
… as part of the Henry Tax Review … that the Prime Minister and the … Federal Treasurer have initiated, they’re obviously looking at complex tax restructure and where they can look at other taxing initiatives or alterations … with the big debt that Australia’s now incurring many in the wine industry, and myself, are concerned that the Henry Tax Review may make recommendations to alter or significantly adjust to the detriment of the wine industry volumetric tax … to be frank here, we have an industry, which is really helping Australia overall with its exports. It’s grown in just a few years … from 260 million to 2.7 billion, but particularly areas like the Riverland and quite a few other … wine regions in this State do not need a Government messing with a volumetric tax that could have significant negative impacts in an industry that’s doing it pretty tough right now.
(Smithson: So is it a case of the bigger you are the harder you’re hit?)
Not necessarily … there’d be some people, potentially depending on what the review could recommend and what could be adopted, in the industry that could be better off, but the truth as I see it is that the majority of the industry, and particularly those that are producing more bulk wine, and obviously the Riverland is a major wine producer … is part of that, they could be significantly hit … I know from before when this debate’s been raised … those that are importing things like vodka and Jim Beam and so on, they always argue that they would like to see a change around in the alcohol tax regime, but frankly they import more than they export and I don’t think South Australia can afford to be putting any more adverse pressure on an industry that’s very important to this State.
(Smithson: … it’s pretty much a lone voice I take it from yourself and a few others, who are obviously interested parties and lobby groups within the wine industries. Is it enough of a voice to make any changes to stop the proposal going ahead?)
It has been in the past … I’m coming out pretty early on this with a letter to the Premier asking him whether he has or whether he will be putting a submission to the Federal Government, and I’m also writing to the Federal Treasurer … we want to overcome binge drinking, we want to overcome the problems when it comes to excessive alcohol, but simply damaging the wine industry will do nothing … to eliminate the problems we have with binge drinking … when you look at the stats … those that consume wine are generally 30 and over and it’s primarily around a meal and it’s two or three drinks over that dinner, as against the binge drinking we know that occurs with alco-pops and so on … this is about saying don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater and understand that the wine industry is finding it tough at the moment … they’re also competing against free trade agreements in Chile to the EU, Chile to China … they’re getting very, very low prices for wine … we shouldn’t be knocking them about anymore in my opinion.
(Smithson: … thanks …)
Jack Papageorgiou, Family First Candidate for Seat of Chaffey (5AA 12.16-12.20) Proposed volumetric tax system on alcohol
(Smithson: … you would endorse and warmly embrace any support you can get from Rob Brokenshire on this issue?)
… sure will … as a grape grower myself supplying Jacobs Creek for 30 years we have made an enormous contribution … and financial contribution into the wine industry as grape growers. This is a tax we don’t have to have … I bought that to the attention of Tony Burke back earlier this year when he visited me [unclear] I highlighted to him that he needs to get involved and he needs to understand the wine industry. The wine industry is in a serious situation and needs support and needs a clear understanding by the Federal Government, and I followed it up with a telephone to his office a couple of weeks ago and I’m still waiting for a response from one of his staff who’s handling the wine industry.
(Smithson: So that’s disappointing for you if the tax goes ahead … how tough are you doing it up there and what in dollar terms extra would it cost you do you think?)
… it is … at the moment the wine makers are coming out with some of the prices. Some of the prices are around about 10 to 20 cents a bottle, which is farm gate to the grower, and the cost of production is between 30 to 40 cents a bottle … so much pressure on us in the Riverland right now as a grape grower. We’re trying to handle … water allocations, we’re trying to manage our contract with the wine makers, we’re working close with wine makers … they also have a competition in the international market. I’ve travelled overseas and I know the competition in the wine industry … this tax review, the Henry Report, this tax, the industry can’t afford and I hope the Government of the day understands that we can’t afford this tax … it’s gonna hit the family farm.
(Smithson: … where you are now and if the tax comes in, is there a dollar amount you can put on … the extra it will cost you to produce exactly the same thing?)
… it’s difficult to bring it down to the grape per tonne, it just depends what sort of volume of tax rate they’re gonna introduce … this is where we need to work together, on a united front, we need to send a single voice to the Government of the day that this tax on an industry when the industry is down on our knees, we don’t need to Government to come on top and say … bad luck, we’re gonna tax you more tax … fair go.
(Smithson: … that’s all anyone asks for … thanks.)
~
(Smithson: … taxing alcohol producers is … an easy get for … any Government … in most respects it’s fair and reasonable to expect that these taxes would apply, but there’s a proposal on the table for a new volumetric tax system, which would see the … tax hikes across the board, big hikes. The wine industry, which is a huge export business for this State and this country stands to be hardest hit, according to some. Family First MLC, Rob Brokenshire, is leading the charge to throw a protection blanket over the wine industry … tell us about your concerns with this proposal?)
… as part of the Henry Tax Review … that the Prime Minister and the … Federal Treasurer have initiated, they’re obviously looking at complex tax restructure and where they can look at other taxing initiatives or alterations … with the big debt that Australia’s now incurring many in the wine industry, and myself, are concerned that the Henry Tax Review may make recommendations to alter or significantly adjust to the detriment of the wine industry volumetric tax … to be frank here, we have an industry, which is really helping Australia overall with its exports. It’s grown in just a few years … from 260 million to 2.7 billion, but particularly areas like the Riverland and quite a few other … wine regions in this State do not need a Government messing with a volumetric tax that could have significant negative impacts in an industry that’s doing it pretty tough right now.
(Smithson: So is it a case of the bigger you are the harder you’re hit?)
Not necessarily … there’d be some people, potentially depending on what the review could recommend and what could be adopted, in the industry that could be better off, but the truth as I see it is that the majority of the industry, and particularly those that are producing more bulk wine, and obviously the Riverland is a major wine producer … is part of that, they could be significantly hit … I know from before when this debate’s been raised … those that are importing things like vodka and Jim Beam and so on, they always argue that they would like to see a change around in the alcohol tax regime, but frankly they import more than they export and I don’t think South Australia can afford to be putting any more adverse pressure on an industry that’s very important to this State.
(Smithson: … it’s pretty much a lone voice I take it from yourself and a few others, who are obviously interested parties and lobby groups within the wine industries. Is it enough of a voice to make any changes to stop the proposal going ahead?)
It has been in the past … I’m coming out pretty early on this with a letter to the Premier asking him whether he has or whether he will be putting a submission to the Federal Government, and I’m also writing to the Federal Treasurer … we want to overcome binge drinking, we want to overcome the problems when it comes to excessive alcohol, but simply damaging the wine industry will do nothing … to eliminate the problems we have with binge drinking … when you look at the stats … those that consume wine are generally 30 and over and it’s primarily around a meal and it’s two or three drinks over that dinner, as against the binge drinking we know that occurs with alco-pops and so on … this is about saying don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater and understand that the wine industry is finding it tough at the moment … they’re also competing against free trade agreements in Chile to the EU, Chile to China … they’re getting very, very low prices for wine … we shouldn’t be knocking them about anymore in my opinion.
(Smithson: … thanks …)
Jack Papageorgiou, Family First Candidate for Seat of Chaffey (5AA 12.16-12.20) Proposed volumetric tax system on alcohol
(Smithson: … you would endorse and warmly embrace any support you can get from Rob Brokenshire on this issue?)
… sure will … as a grape grower myself supplying Jacobs Creek for 30 years we have made an enormous contribution … and financial contribution into the wine industry as grape growers. This is a tax we don’t have to have … I bought that to the attention of Tony Burke back earlier this year when he visited me [unclear] I highlighted to him that he needs to get involved and he needs to understand the wine industry. The wine industry is in a serious situation and needs support and needs a clear understanding by the Federal Government, and I followed it up with a telephone to his office a couple of weeks ago and I’m still waiting for a response from one of his staff who’s handling the wine industry.
(Smithson: So that’s disappointing for you if the tax goes ahead … how tough are you doing it up there and what in dollar terms extra would it cost you do you think?)
… it is … at the moment the wine makers are coming out with some of the prices. Some of the prices are around about 10 to 20 cents a bottle, which is farm gate to the grower, and the cost of production is between 30 to 40 cents a bottle … so much pressure on us in the Riverland right now as a grape grower. We’re trying to handle … water allocations, we’re trying to manage our contract with the wine makers, we’re working close with wine makers … they also have a competition in the international market. I’ve travelled overseas and I know the competition in the wine industry … this tax review, the Henry Report, this tax, the industry can’t afford and I hope the Government of the day understands that we can’t afford this tax … it’s gonna hit the family farm.
(Smithson: … where you are now and if the tax comes in, is there a dollar amount you can put on … the extra it will cost you to produce exactly the same thing?)
… it’s difficult to bring it down to the grape per tonne, it just depends what sort of volume of tax rate they’re gonna introduce … this is where we need to work together, on a united front, we need to send a single voice to the Government of the day that this tax on an industry when the industry is down on our knees, we don’t need to Government to come on top and say … bad luck, we’re gonna tax you more tax … fair go.
(Smithson: … that’s all anyone asks for … thanks.)
~
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Transparency at Vineyard Gate needed - Radio Comments - 15 December 2009
MP says wineries should be transparent about how many tonnes of grapes they’ll take
Family First MLC Robert Brokenshire says wineries should be transparent about how many tonnes of grapes they’ll take next year. Mr Brokenshire says the recent announcement that the Riverland Winery Taachi won’t be taking any grapes next year shows the precarious position of growers will need time to try and find a new buyer:
(639ABC 8.30am) “There are serious concerns about whether or not contracts are going to be honoured, how many tonnes of grapes the wineries are going to take, what total tonnage is going to be required this year and what we’re saying is we know it’s tough on the wine industry but the growers need to know how many tonnes of grapes the wineries want and what the price will be.”
Rob Brokenshire, Family First MLC (639ABC 8.36-8.41) Calls for wineries to be up front with grape growers about how many grapes they want and what they’ll pay
(Wade: Right now many of our State’s grape growers don’t know whether or not the wineries will take their grapes and here we are with harvest only a month or so away … Rob Brokenshire is in the Riverland this morning, he says it’s time that wineries were more upfront with growers about how many grapes they want and what they’ll pay … )
… the wineries are under fair sort of stress factors as well as the wine grape growers … the other thing that I’ve found up here that I need to do some work on is the impact that change in volumetric tax will have on the wineries and the wine grape industry. So it’s not an easy life for the wineries either at the moment but what I’m calling on the wineries to do … as a farmer myself … I know it’s really important we get early indicators on what sort of tonnages and production they’re going to be able to take and what the indicative price will be. And growers have been saying to me … some still haven’t told them whether they’re going to honour contracts, cut contracts and what sort of indicative price they’re going to get and that obviously makes it very difficult for those wine grape growers who we saw last year without a buyer as they were about to harvest and … almost predators coming in and taking them at ridiculously low prices when they had no choice.
(Wade: What are growers telling you … about how they’re planning then for the vintage ahead?)
… some are telling me that they’re fine because they’ve had good communication from their wineries and they’ve still got solid contracts. But others that aren’t in contract or are coming out of contract have been to meetings recently where … the indication to those growers was that they could be looking at a further 30 to 40% reduction in the price of grapes … we’ve seen over $100m at farm gate removed through price reductions just in the last year or so. To have another 30 or 40% is just horrendous … it’s way below the cost of production ... we’ve got very efficient and capable growers … but it still means $350, $400 a tonne just to get the input costs to a recovery stage. Now, if you’re only getting $150 or $200 a tonne … you’re way below input costs and you can’t continue to run businesses like that … this is why we do need transparency and indicative pricing as early as possible so that … growers have got the chance to try and plan other ways of being able to sell off their … extra fruit.
(Wade: …what would actually have to be done to achieve that transparency? … )
… the industry … and the leadership of the industry, and they do have limitations, they’re all out there trying to find out what their forward contracts are for their sales and process wine too, but would have … to say … we need to meet earlier, we need to be as transparent as we can. And whether it’s wine grapes … or any other agricultural production at farm gate, I think the Government need to look at some regulatory type of framework so that we can see transparency when there’s a reduction and we know at farm gate that farmers are not getting adversely affected by additional reduction in price due to cost saving requirements through the food chain.
(Wade: …you mentioned that the wineries themselves … are under pressure. We’re talking a global grape glut … are you asking too much?)
… we’re asking for the best possible support and advice through to the farm gate … I’m also asking the Government to get more serious about the sustainability of food production including … the wine industry … if there’s no production at farm gate there’s no production through the food chain and it just means more and more imports. So I don’t think I’m asking too much to say as much as possible let’s be transparent, let’s be early in our indicative prices and support and … we’ve got to stop Wayne Swan, if indeed the recommendations come for a change in volumetric wine tax and alcohol tax, stop that from further damaging the wine industry.
~
Family First MLC Robert Brokenshire says wineries should be transparent about how many tonnes of grapes they’ll take next year. Mr Brokenshire says the recent announcement that the Riverland Winery Taachi won’t be taking any grapes next year shows the precarious position of growers will need time to try and find a new buyer:
(639ABC 8.30am) “There are serious concerns about whether or not contracts are going to be honoured, how many tonnes of grapes the wineries are going to take, what total tonnage is going to be required this year and what we’re saying is we know it’s tough on the wine industry but the growers need to know how many tonnes of grapes the wineries want and what the price will be.”
Rob Brokenshire, Family First MLC (639ABC 8.36-8.41) Calls for wineries to be up front with grape growers about how many grapes they want and what they’ll pay
(Wade: Right now many of our State’s grape growers don’t know whether or not the wineries will take their grapes and here we are with harvest only a month or so away … Rob Brokenshire is in the Riverland this morning, he says it’s time that wineries were more upfront with growers about how many grapes they want and what they’ll pay … )
… the wineries are under fair sort of stress factors as well as the wine grape growers … the other thing that I’ve found up here that I need to do some work on is the impact that change in volumetric tax will have on the wineries and the wine grape industry. So it’s not an easy life for the wineries either at the moment but what I’m calling on the wineries to do … as a farmer myself … I know it’s really important we get early indicators on what sort of tonnages and production they’re going to be able to take and what the indicative price will be. And growers have been saying to me … some still haven’t told them whether they’re going to honour contracts, cut contracts and what sort of indicative price they’re going to get and that obviously makes it very difficult for those wine grape growers who we saw last year without a buyer as they were about to harvest and … almost predators coming in and taking them at ridiculously low prices when they had no choice.
(Wade: What are growers telling you … about how they’re planning then for the vintage ahead?)
… some are telling me that they’re fine because they’ve had good communication from their wineries and they’ve still got solid contracts. But others that aren’t in contract or are coming out of contract have been to meetings recently where … the indication to those growers was that they could be looking at a further 30 to 40% reduction in the price of grapes … we’ve seen over $100m at farm gate removed through price reductions just in the last year or so. To have another 30 or 40% is just horrendous … it’s way below the cost of production ... we’ve got very efficient and capable growers … but it still means $350, $400 a tonne just to get the input costs to a recovery stage. Now, if you’re only getting $150 or $200 a tonne … you’re way below input costs and you can’t continue to run businesses like that … this is why we do need transparency and indicative pricing as early as possible so that … growers have got the chance to try and plan other ways of being able to sell off their … extra fruit.
(Wade: …what would actually have to be done to achieve that transparency? … )
… the industry … and the leadership of the industry, and they do have limitations, they’re all out there trying to find out what their forward contracts are for their sales and process wine too, but would have … to say … we need to meet earlier, we need to be as transparent as we can. And whether it’s wine grapes … or any other agricultural production at farm gate, I think the Government need to look at some regulatory type of framework so that we can see transparency when there’s a reduction and we know at farm gate that farmers are not getting adversely affected by additional reduction in price due to cost saving requirements through the food chain.
(Wade: …you mentioned that the wineries themselves … are under pressure. We’re talking a global grape glut … are you asking too much?)
… we’re asking for the best possible support and advice through to the farm gate … I’m also asking the Government to get more serious about the sustainability of food production including … the wine industry … if there’s no production at farm gate there’s no production through the food chain and it just means more and more imports. So I don’t think I’m asking too much to say as much as possible let’s be transparent, let’s be early in our indicative prices and support and … we’ve got to stop Wayne Swan, if indeed the recommendations come for a change in volumetric wine tax and alcohol tax, stop that from further damaging the wine industry.
~
Thursday, December 10, 2009
St Clair Land swap controversy - Radio Comments - Thursday 10 November 2009
Rob Brokenshire, Family First MLC (891ABC 8.43-8.46) St Clair land swap - call for the issue to be looked at by an independent arbiter
(Bevan: Let’s go back to the western suburbs, the St Clair land swap … regular listeners would know we’ve been following this very closely … you have a park that’s been there for many decades and the Government and developers … and the local council want to put houses on that park … they say … ‘we’ll give you a park of equivalent size, we’ll spend about $2 million fixing up some industrial land that’s … next to it’ … a lot of the local residents have said ‘don’t like that at all’ … they challenged the Government over the way it’s handled that matter … the Local Government Minister, Gail Gago, said ‘all right fine, let’s stop this going to court, I will rescind my decision on the St Clair land swap and I’ll get another Minister to do it, John Hill’ – he’s the Minister for the Southern Suburbs. Rob Brokenshire … he joins us now … you say that’s not good enough, it’s got to be handled by somebody independent, why so?)
Well David I say that after speaking to a lot of people … there’s a real bad taste in a lot of people’s mouths out there about both Cheltenham and St Clair … I’ve sat on a select committee with respect to Cheltenham, they are integrated whichever way you look at it … listening to the Minister and then thinking about it and talking to more people I believe that the only way that we’re going to get an absolutely independent decision on this, and it’s nothing against John Hill by the way – I work with John, I like John – but I think we actually need a retired judge or some absolutely independent arbiter that can reassess this and see whether or not the decision is right … give people a chance to feel that it’s kosher and not simply one Minister in Cabinet to another Minister
(Bevan: … is there anything you can do about it, can you refer this on to somebody and have it taken out of the Minister’s hand and given to somebody else?)
Well, what I’m intending to do today, because I had a meeting with a key person yesterday and discussed this issue, I’ll be writing to the Premier … at the end of the day I believe the Premier … should have a close look at this, realise there’s enormous angst in, not only the western suburbs, but I’d say … the broader the community … I’d like the Premier to consider this … there has been times when the Premier and other Ministers have referred things to independent arbiters … I think it’s very important this one goes to an independent arbiter
(Abraham: Rob Brokenshire, thank you … we did speak to the Local Government Minister, Gail Gago, on another matter, but we asked her towards the end of the interview about this issue as well … what legal advice she had received that had meant that the Government was now seeking other legal advice from its own lawyers and where that legal advice came from … we talked to her about that yesterday).
~
(Bevan: Let’s go back to the western suburbs, the St Clair land swap … regular listeners would know we’ve been following this very closely … you have a park that’s been there for many decades and the Government and developers … and the local council want to put houses on that park … they say … ‘we’ll give you a park of equivalent size, we’ll spend about $2 million fixing up some industrial land that’s … next to it’ … a lot of the local residents have said ‘don’t like that at all’ … they challenged the Government over the way it’s handled that matter … the Local Government Minister, Gail Gago, said ‘all right fine, let’s stop this going to court, I will rescind my decision on the St Clair land swap and I’ll get another Minister to do it, John Hill’ – he’s the Minister for the Southern Suburbs. Rob Brokenshire … he joins us now … you say that’s not good enough, it’s got to be handled by somebody independent, why so?)
Well David I say that after speaking to a lot of people … there’s a real bad taste in a lot of people’s mouths out there about both Cheltenham and St Clair … I’ve sat on a select committee with respect to Cheltenham, they are integrated whichever way you look at it … listening to the Minister and then thinking about it and talking to more people I believe that the only way that we’re going to get an absolutely independent decision on this, and it’s nothing against John Hill by the way – I work with John, I like John – but I think we actually need a retired judge or some absolutely independent arbiter that can reassess this and see whether or not the decision is right … give people a chance to feel that it’s kosher and not simply one Minister in Cabinet to another Minister
(Bevan: … is there anything you can do about it, can you refer this on to somebody and have it taken out of the Minister’s hand and given to somebody else?)
Well, what I’m intending to do today, because I had a meeting with a key person yesterday and discussed this issue, I’ll be writing to the Premier … at the end of the day I believe the Premier … should have a close look at this, realise there’s enormous angst in, not only the western suburbs, but I’d say … the broader the community … I’d like the Premier to consider this … there has been times when the Premier and other Ministers have referred things to independent arbiters … I think it’s very important this one goes to an independent arbiter
(Abraham: Rob Brokenshire, thank you … we did speak to the Local Government Minister, Gail Gago, on another matter, but we asked her towards the end of the interview about this issue as well … what legal advice she had received that had meant that the Government was now seeking other legal advice from its own lawyers and where that legal advice came from … we talked to her about that yesterday).
~
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Farmers and inports - food labelling - Radio Comments - Wednesday 9 December 2009
Rob Brokenshire, Family First MLC (5AA 11.11-11.15) Food labelling
(Byner: … isn’t it amazing that we could actually make a difference if we just tell people the truth and give them informed choice …)
… it is amazing … it can happen … taking my politicians hat off and putting my farmers hat on, can I thank you this year for fighting for us … there’s not a lot of people in the media out there batting for us … State Government recently have been advertising saying buy South Australian … obviously South Australians would do that if they knew it was from South Australia, and how can you identify that in the supermarkets right now?
(Byner: Well you can’t … I’ve even seen ads that have got SA Great on them and the products that they advertise are not from South Australia …)
… SA Great do a good job, but they really need to step up to the plate … and give us a hand … Independents like myself in Family First would work with them … what really saddens me today, you raised that issue about what was the state of the art, the largest piggery in the Southern Hemisphere … in my own home town, I get a phone call saying that piggery is closing … part of it’s to do with urban sprawl and a lot more pressure on the quality of the infrastructure that … obviously has to be upgraded, but the key to it … is imports … in just eight years processed pork and pig meat, particularly from Canada and America, has increased from 55 million tonnes just eight years ago to 234 million tonnes … the quality not as good as Australian pork … the Canadian Government are subsidising this dumping into Australia and just in Mt Compass now we will see eight families without jobs direct, but what about the electricians, the earth movers, all the contractors, the bakery … it just goes on and on … we’ve got to get a focus on family farming and we’ve got to get a focus on national food security … I thank you for helping us.
(Byner: … the fact that you as a consumer want to be told what it is, what’s in it and where it’s from let me tell you there are forces in Canberra who subscribed to this world trade scenario that say you shouldn’t be doing this, you shouldn’t be putting labelling because you might get taken to the World Trade Court.)
~
(Byner: … isn’t it amazing that we could actually make a difference if we just tell people the truth and give them informed choice …)
… it is amazing … it can happen … taking my politicians hat off and putting my farmers hat on, can I thank you this year for fighting for us … there’s not a lot of people in the media out there batting for us … State Government recently have been advertising saying buy South Australian … obviously South Australians would do that if they knew it was from South Australia, and how can you identify that in the supermarkets right now?
(Byner: Well you can’t … I’ve even seen ads that have got SA Great on them and the products that they advertise are not from South Australia …)
… SA Great do a good job, but they really need to step up to the plate … and give us a hand … Independents like myself in Family First would work with them … what really saddens me today, you raised that issue about what was the state of the art, the largest piggery in the Southern Hemisphere … in my own home town, I get a phone call saying that piggery is closing … part of it’s to do with urban sprawl and a lot more pressure on the quality of the infrastructure that … obviously has to be upgraded, but the key to it … is imports … in just eight years processed pork and pig meat, particularly from Canada and America, has increased from 55 million tonnes just eight years ago to 234 million tonnes … the quality not as good as Australian pork … the Canadian Government are subsidising this dumping into Australia and just in Mt Compass now we will see eight families without jobs direct, but what about the electricians, the earth movers, all the contractors, the bakery … it just goes on and on … we’ve got to get a focus on family farming and we’ve got to get a focus on national food security … I thank you for helping us.
(Byner: … the fact that you as a consumer want to be told what it is, what’s in it and where it’s from let me tell you there are forces in Canberra who subscribed to this world trade scenario that say you shouldn’t be doing this, you shouldn’t be putting labelling because you might get taken to the World Trade Court.)
~
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