Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie initiates the discharging of biosecurity protection levy legislation in the Senate today.

LEGISLATION supporting the much-maligned biosecurity protection levy on farmers was quashed in the Senate today in a Nationals-led action supported by the Greens and the crossbench.

Nationals leader in the Senate Bridget McKenzie was successful in her motion to discharge the legislation from the Senate notice paper, meaning it will not proceed.

Labor, through Senator Katy Gallagher, voiced its opposition to Senator McKenzie’s motion and opposed procedural motions to discharge the legislation, but ultimately did not call for a division on the final motion and voted for removal of the bill.

The National Farmers Federation said farmers across the nation were celebrating the Federal Parliament’s decision to discharge the Biosecurity Protection Levy, effectively binning the tax.

End of biosecurity levy is a huge win – NFF

NFF president David Jochinke welcomed the decision and thanked the Minister for Agriculture, Julie Collins, for listening to farmers’ concerns.

“This is a huge win for farmers.

“The Minister and the Senate have listened – this tax was deeply flawed and unfair to farmers,” he said.

“We appreciate the Minister’s ongoing commitment to ensuring the sustainability of our biosecurity system.

“I also tip my hat to our members, industry stakeholders and the thousands of farmers who voiced their concerns about this tax,” Mr Jochinke said.

“Together we put up a fierce fight and we are relieved to close the book on this idea.

“The agricultural sector was united in its opposition to this tax and we are just as united in our commitment to protecting our country’s biosecurity,” he said.

“Farmers already contribute significantly to the system, and we look forward to working with the Government on policy that strengthens our defence against pests and diseases without adding extra costs on farmers.”

Senator McKenzie said The Nationals have delivered an embarrassing defeat to the government on the floor of the Senate, removing a tax Labor should never have proposed.

“Not only would this tax have driven up the price of fresh food, with farmers forced to pass on costs, it would have also undermined the entire levy system, causing chaos and confusion across industry,” she said.

“Families need food that is more affordable and our farmers need support to get food from paddock to plate.

“While Labor tried to introduce the exact opposite, The Nationals will always fight for common sense, for fairness, and affordable food and fibre.”

Littleproud calls for no future taxes on farmers

Leader of The Nationals David Littleproud said farmers and families have secured a huge cost-of-living win, after the Coalition forced Labor to bin its bad fresh food tax.

Mr Littleproud said the Coalition’s successful motion in the Senate to remove Labor’s fresh food tax, known as the biosecurity protection levy, has allowed common sense to prevail.

“Labor’s fresh food tax would have hurt families at the checkout as well as 84 agricultural commodities, which faced taxes to raise $150 million over three years, to pay for the risks created by their competitors, which is those importing from overseas,” he said.

“Labor’s senseless and terrible tax idea will thankfully never see the light of day, after an enormous campaign by The Nationals in conjunction with industry and farmers to stop its reckless fresh food tax.

“The Coalition is proud to have saved families and farmers from this bad fresh food tax, which would have increased food prices even further and hurt our farmers even more.”

However, Mr Littleproud said Labor and the Greens haven’t ruled out taxing Australian agriculture and farmers in the future.

“The Coalition calls on them to do so, immediately.”

Government supported levy bill’s removal – Collins

Labor Senator Katy Gallagher in the Senate: accepted that the biosecurity levy would not be part of the funding solution.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Julie Collins said the Albanese Government is listening to farmers and to the experts as it protect Australia’s environment and economy from the biosecurity threats of today and tomorrow.

“The Albanese Labor Government will continue to work with farmers and stakeholders so producers are involved in the policy solutions that protect their livelihoods.

“We acknowledge that the Agriculture Biosecurity Protection Levies Bill will not be part of the solution, which is why we supported its removal from the Senate,” Ms Collins said.

“The Albanese Labor Government has delivered on our election commitment by investing in sustainable, broadly based, biosecurity funding.

“The Coalition left our biosecurity system in a mess – insecure and under-funded,” she said.

In the Senate today Senator Gallagher accepted that the biosecurity levy bill would not be part of the funding solution, “but we are not going to be lectured by the National Party around biosecurity.”

“They cut it, they didn’t invest in it and they left our farmers vulnerable.”

Greens expect farmers to work with government

Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson: expects ongoing farmer-government conversations.

Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said the biosecurity protection levy bill was designed as an extra funding stream to help Australia better future-proof the agricultural sector against enormous biosecurity risks.

Senator Whish-Wilson said he had been told by the NFF that it was prepared to sit down with the government and find a new funding stream with a structure that worked for farmers.

“In good faith, the Greens said we wouldn’t be supporting this, but we do have an expectation — that the agricultural sector would work with the government of the day to find a way forward so that we can get more funding for biosecurity risks.”

WoolProducers welcome levy legislation decision

WoolProducers welcomed the Albanese Government formally withdrawing the proposed biosecurity protection levy legislation that sought to fill a “$50 million budget black hole” in the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry announced in the 2023 federal budget.

WoolProducers chief executive officer Jo Hall said WoolProducers were one of the first grower groups to publicly oppose this levy, following the announcement in the 2023 federal budget.

“Since that time there has been strong opposition from producer groups on the proposed imposition of this tax, given the significant contribution Australian producers already make to biosecurity arrangements.

“This is a great example of industries coming together to push back on unfair taxing of the agricultural sector,” she said.

However, WoolProducers said it continued to support equitable and adequate funding for Australia’s biosecurity system.

“Biosecurity is everyone’s responsibility, and we will continue to pursue appropriate funding mechanisms with the other industry bodies, stakeholders and all levels of government,” Ms Hall said.

“We would like to thank Minister Julie Collins for this sensible decision and also acknowledge the Senate for not supporting the passage of BPL.”

Proposed levy was flawed – Sheep Producers Australia