MEAT workers from across the New England electorate have made a united call for local member and Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce to ensure their jobs are safe, following new plans to expand the live export industry.
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The workers claim local supply and their jobs would be at risk, with abattoirs in Tamworth, Inverell and Scone significantly affected.
“Numbers don’t lie. New England’s three abattoirs employ 1700 local workers and process 500,000 head of cattle and 1.5 million sheep peer year,” Australian Meat Industry Employees Union representative Grant Courtney said.
“The announcement threatens one of the region’s largest sources of employment. With all those local jobs on the line, Mr Joyce has turned his back on the electorate, in a clear case of conflict of interest, and voters have every right to question where their local member’s loyalties truly lie.”
The union claims due to the expansion, for every additional head of cattle loaded onto ships bound for foreign markets, more local jobs would be lost. It has raised concerns the local market would be affected, with added concerns for flow-on effects to the region’s small businesses and local economies.
In response to the union’s concerns, a spokesman for Mr Joyce’s office said the live export industry employed 10,000 people a year and underpinned better economic returns to the farm gate, and this extended to the North West area.
“The expansion of the live export trade has occurred during a period of record prices in saleyards,” the spokesman said.
“Processors are continuing to expand their markets.
“Take, for example, Bindaree Beef. It has used free trade agreements negotiated by the Coalition government to expand its markets in China. Bindaree continues planning its expansion of its processing plant, creating more jobs for Inverell.
“The livestock export trade has experienced a period of sustained growth, reaching $3 billion since this government came to office in October 2013. Our international market share and reputation has been built on our ability to supply international markets with some of the highest-quality, cleanest and most sustainably produced livestock in the world.
“The government accepts that there are a wide range of views on the issue of livestock exports within the community, however, we remain strongly committed to ensuring that this important trade can continue under the world-leading standards that are in place.”
