MIA’s cotton industry has hit back hard at the move to legislate a ban on cotton export, originating from a South Australian MP.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Rex Patrick from the Centre Alliance party said he would move to introduce legislation when parliament resumes next week, in what he calls a way to draw attention to the plight of the Murray-Darling river system and the over-extraction by irrigators.
“We export 90% of the cotton grown in Australia,” he said.
“About 20% of the basin water goes to cotton.
“It’s like exporting 20% of the Murray-Darling to China and India. It’s not in the national interest: it goes to food security and the environment.”
Carrathool Gin RivCott ‘s CEO Sam Buster said the move “went straight for the jugular” and was based on “flawed reasoning.”
“Here’s what’s stupid about this: The question isn’t which crop is taking it, the question is how much you want irrigators to use. You pick which crop you deem to be evil one year, and the next it will be another like rice or almonds,” Mr Buster said.
It is something we would fight. I’d be amazed if it would get significant support - surely our federal parliamentarians aren’t that stupid.
- Member for Murray Austin Evans
“If anyone knows anything, the way a nation grows wealth is you have a trade surplus with another country and the way you do that is export more than you import.
“Cotton is a major success story, especially with the countries we have a trade surplus with like China.”
Australia is a relatively minor producer on the world scale but is the world’s second largest exporter.
Darlington Point irrigating farmer with cotton crops Matt Toscan said it was an “easy call” to make coming from South Australia, given there is no cotton industry in the state.
“It’s a loss for the other states like NSW and QLD. No negative impact on them so it’s an easy call to make for them,” Mr Toscan said.
“It’s terribly unfair. You wouldn’t have a cotton industry at all.”
Member for Murray Austin Evans said this kind of “armchair politics” misses the point.
“It doesn’t make one drop of difference about how much water you can extract. The rules apply to the volume only,” Mr Evans said.
RELATED:
“It is something we would fight. I’d be amazed if it would get significant support - surely our federal parliamentarians aren’t that stupid.”
Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Murray candidate and irrigating farmer Helen Dalton said the Centre Alliance Party had “better change their name again.”
“They are making fools of themselves,” Mrs Dalton said.
“I would be happy to discuss the cotton industry and any other industry with them and the huge value of our food and fibre.”
***
All readers are able to sign up for our breaking news updates, while subscribers to The Observer will have exclusive access to our weekly editor's wrap newsletter. Sign up here.
