Farmers to march on house over AWB

THOUSANDS of wheat farmers will seek to split the Coalition by descending on Parliament House if John Howard sidelines AWB and scraps the single desk for wheat exports.

THOUSANDS of wheat farmers will seek to split the Coalition by descending on Parliament House if John Howard sidelines AWB and scraps the single desk for wheat exports.

According to emails leaked to The Australian yesterday, some grain growers believe the Prime Minister is trying to dismantle the single desk "by stealth".

They accuse businessman John Ralph, who this year conducted a nationwide investigation into wheat marketing, of "manipulating the outcome" of his inquiry to suit Mr Howard.

The leaks come as the Government prepares to announce a new wheat marketing model, which may see AWB sidelined after 67 years as the single desk.

The emails were written by Jock Munro, a farmer near Hay, in southwestern NSW. Mr Munro and his supporters have been lobbying Mr Howard to protect AWB in the wake of the Iraq kickbacks scandal.

The Australian published extracts yesterday from another set of leaked emails written by Mr Munro, 53, in which he appeared to threaten opponents of the single desk - including one from South Australia - saying they would need "armed guards if they ventured into his home state ... NSW."

Mr Munro was unapologetic yesterday. He said the comment was "a bit of a joke".

You've got to take it in context. I said the South Australians aren't tough, they don't have any convict blood in them. And they could do with a bit of it, in my opinion."

He said farmers would descend in large numbers on Canberra if the Prime Minister tried to dismantle the single desk. "They aren't going to sit by and let their single desk be destroyed," Mr Munro said.

"The advantage we've got is support from the National Party and we're fully aware of that. We know that we can split the Coalition on this. It's not good for their chances of re-election, that's for sure."

He said 15,000 wheat growers of a total 40,000 would disappear if the market were to be opened to competition.