Mr Robertson said Labor had failed to deliver financial help to local farmers despite record-high fuel prices and was yet to include the agriculture industry in its Economic Resilience Program, which is designed to provide interest-free loans to businesses impacted by the fuel crisis.
“In every community I’ve visited, I’ve heard from local farmers about the fuel cost blowouts they’re having to cope with, all while trying to plan ahead for the future,” Mr Robertson said.
“It’s added another layer of stress they just don’t need.
“Our farmers are the unsung heroes of the current fuel crisis because they are the ones producing the food we eat and the commodities we export, all while employing locals and supporting local businesses.”
It comes amid confusion about who exactly would be entitled to the loans, as eligibility and criteria remains unclear.
Griffith farmer John Bonetti said farmers are also dealing with the economic costs of the conflict, and interest free loans for farmers would help them keep their heads above water for the next few years.
“In this area, general security water users have had two years of 34 and 32 per cent water allocations,” Mr Bonetti said.
“Add high fertiliser and fuel costs into the mix, and it will be very difficult for some farmers to continue for the next couple of years. Any relief from that would be welcome.”
Leader of The Nationals Matt Canavan said Labor’s loan announcement was becoming a cruel dangling carrot, because those who produce the nation’s food and fibre had not been given any certainty.
“We rely on our agriculture industry to get food from paddock to plate, but with that there are enormous costs, in operating machinery to plant and produce food, in transporting product to grocery shelves and all along the supply chain,” Senator Canavan said.
“The agriculture industry is a diesel industry and a fertiliser industry, so it is being impacted badly. That impact is having an enormous impact on the cost of producing food, which ultimately is hurting all Australian families.
“Labor should be doing everything it can to ensure that our agriculture industry is protected. This is about our nation’s food security and being able to feed Australian families.”
