LABOR’S legislation on a new fresh food tax has been introduced in Parliament, stirring concerns over its potential impact on families and farmers. Federal Member for Nicholls, Sam Birrell has strongly criticised the move, emphasising its adverse effects on local economies and agricultural producers.
He argued that the burden of the biosecurity protection levy should fall on importers, not farmers, labelling the tax as unfair and flawed. Birrell urged Labor to reconsider, highlighting widespread opposition from agricultural groups.
“Labor’s new fresh food tax is based on an unfair and completely flawed principal that goes against small business, primary production and relieving cost of living pressures, Mr Birrell said.
“This levy will see farmers paying for the biosecurity cost of their competitors to import product into our country.”
Mr Birrell said farmers will be forced to pass on the cost which makes it a new tax on fresh food.
Labor will set the tax rate as a proportion of an industry’s average gross value of production over a three-year period but is able to set the rate at zero; an admission that in some cases collecting the levy in some sectors could exceed the revenue raised from it.
More than 50 agricultural representative groups previously signed a joint letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressing unified opposition about the new tax.
“Labor needs to listen to the strong concerns raised by all Australian producers and their representative groups by scrapping the new tax immediately,” Mr Birrell said.
Birrell suggested adopting a container levy similar to the Coalition’s policy as a fairer alternative.
