AU: Call for industry reform on way representative bodies vote for levies
NSW Liberal Democratic Senator David Leyonhjelm today announced he had shelved his attempt to block an increase in three horticultural levies.
He said he would engage industry on the need to reform while he rescheduled a vote for “late September”.
A future disallowance motion would split mushroom growers’ levy increase from that of onions and mango growers.
Senator Leyonhjelm said he wanted to give grower and farming groups time to “get their heads around” his proposals which was “democracy for levy payers”.
“A lot of growers and farmers haven’t heard that message yet but that’s what I’m after so I’m giving them more time to find out and express their support,” he told reporters.
Farm groups last week attacked Senator Leyonhjelm’s bid to block increases in the levies.
The Across Agriculture Group, which includes 45 peak bodies, has pledged its support for the levy increases claimed repercussions for agriculture would be significant.
The group said there would be “wide-reaching ramifications” on “all of Australian agriculture” if the increase was blocked.
Source: weeklytimesnow.com.au