Farmers, graziers, horticulturalists, all these business people and more form the backbone of what feeds and clothes Australia and much of the rest of the world.  They work hours that would terrify a union official, but receive less income on average than the dole recipient.  They produce more than most other individuals in the country, but with decidedly less support.  They have the highest suicide rate and the lowest income level, the worst level of services quality for government or municipal services supplied to them, and more sheer guts than any other dozen people.  They live from rain cloud to rain cloud, but rarely will they consider a handout.

At the very least, they deserve a fair go from the rest of the country, led by example from the government of the country that relies on them for survival.  That fair go can come in these ways, just to begin with:

Firstly, change the taxation system, as outlined in my taxation policy to the Transaction Tax, the 1.5% flat rate tax!  That will mean no GST, Bas Statements, income tax returns, employee tax calculations, import duties, WET, FBT, or any other tax calculations.

Second.  Water is the key to life on the farm, as much as anywhere.  Our rivers are currently dying, while bureaucracy goes mad legislating on how to stop rural industries properly utilising water resources and developing their land fully.  Change legislation to enforce implementation of concepts such as Peter Andrews “Natural Sequence Farming” and P. A. Yeomans “Keyline” Principle, enriching our soils, making total use of water falling as rain, and maximising useful runoff water. 

Third.  Remove the rules that govern the land use and cultivation of previously cultivated land.  This will allow full productivity and rotational grazing and cropping which is the healthy way forward for land use.

Fourth.  Recognise that certain animals in Australia, both introduced and native, can be in plague proportions and need culling.  That includes rabbits, foxes, feral and wild domestic cats, kangaroos, flying foxes/fruit bats, feral pigs, buffalo and camels.  Many of these animals reach plague proportions and starve during droughts.  In the case of predators, they move to new sources of food in the natural order and subsequently force the extinction of other natives with no defences against them.

Fifth.  Rural services are mediocre, to say the least, especially in the areas of rural health, mental services, police, communications for both phone systems and broadband.  Take these issues seriously and deal with them, using the resources and technologies currently available elsewhere in the country.

Sixth.  Make country towns and regional areas more attractive as places for families to live.  This can be done by providing infrastructure such as rural hospitals, water services, fuel at comparable prices, in fact, the full range of metropolitan services in major regional centres, and access to those services by everyone in rural areas.  Provide genuine broadband and telephone services to rural areas to enable modern communication standards on par with what they would expect to have in the city.

Seventh.  Give AQIS teeth and funding, to both police disease movements into the country and around the country, and prevent imports of dangerous produce that has the potential to introduce disease.  Give AQIS the authority to hear a complaint and assess the level of threat of disease introduction through imported produce, meats, grains, equipment or livestock, and the power to prevent its entry, with the only required criteria that a danger to local disease prevention exists.

Eighth.  Tariffs.  Reciprocal.  Australia is currently leading the world in FTAs, in other words, we are sacrificing our exporting power and strength, to enable other countries without the same intent to literally dump their imports on us.  Some countries are too willing to export to us and at the same time, have incredible trade and tariff restrictions in their direction.  Match them, reciprocal.  When they remove theirs, match them.  However, that trade restriction removal must always take second places to the AQIS standards and restrictions.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Buy local groceries, made or grown in Australia.  Check that it is not just imported and “made” in Australia.  Genuine Australian produce and production is what will help our rural industries.

Buy from local Farmers Markets.  Support your local farmers and graziers.

Learn the difference between what you pay in the supermarket and what the farmer receives on farm for their produce.

Learn the truth about contaminated, imported, cheap produce.  Current affairs shows regularly showcase them with spectacular stories, but look further, at the real research and follow-up on the testing and actual surveys.

Refuse to buy seafood from Asia and other places where regular research demonstrates that at least 40% is contaminated with poisons that were banned from Australia decades ago.

Educate friends, family and associates of the dangers of some of the imported foodstuffs that can be contaminated.  Tell them what you have discovered about imported food contaminants.

Take advantage of “Farm Stay holidays” or other opportunities to learn the truth about life on an Australian farm.

Learn about drought and the effects of climate change on the Australian continent and farms in particular.

Sponsor farm children for holidays in cities, on the coast and at the beach.  Some have never seen the ocean.

Join in “Drought Relief” movements that supply donations to the bush.