Answer to our dairy crisis is not a Royal Commission: letter

Gympie letter writer says that with an election looming, this issue is opportunity for the National Party to win the support of rural and regional communities

The Queensland Dairyfarmers' Organisation said consumers shouldn't be fooled the big retailer's milk levy. Picture: Molly Glassey

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

EVEN if a Royal Commission was to result in some form of regulation of the price of supermarket milk, this would be of no help to dairy farmers.

The reason for this is because only a portion of the milk they supply goes into bottles.

If the processors and supermarkets are forced to pay more for this milk, they will then pay less for the surplus that is used for butter, cheese, yoghurt, ice-cream, baby formula and the list goes on. So, the farmer is no better off, millions are wasted lining barristers' pockets and it is only a few out of touch politicians that are left feeling good prior to their electoral demise.

Greg Edwards and Dawn Treeby

If Agriculture Minister David Littleproud thinks the public at large is going to heed his call to boycott $1/litre milk, he has a serious problem; such as rocks in his head.

It is a basic principle that any business, whether it be a farm, corner store, factory or even a supermarket chain will not flourish unless it makes the most of its opportunities.

Both the National Party and the Qld Dairy Farmers Organisation appear to have forgotten this. Milk provides an excellent opportunity for the supermarkets and will continue to do so while ever we have the current situation where farmers need to keep on increasing supply just to be able to put food on their dining table, no matter how low the return is.

The answer to the crisis is not in a Royal Commission, according to this letter writer. Picture: Bev Lacey

Governments, both Labor and conservative, have allowed this situation to develop, so it is a government responsibility to address it. Direct income support for all farmers who need it, and the resulting benefits to their communities, is the only real answer.

The mechanism to do this is already in place, in the farm household assistance package. Capping the salaries and benefits of all politicians from the Prime Minister down would finance it.

With an election looming, here is a golden opportunity for the National Party to win the support of those rural and regional communities which they purport to represent; but on their current performance, they probably would need a Royal Commission to work that out. 　

Greg Edwards,

Wide Bay Highway,

Bells Bridge