Following the repeal of the carbon tax today, WAFarmers President Dale Park said he hoped the move would result in the lowering of input costs for agricultural production.
WAFarmers has strongly opposed the carbon tax since it was proposed by the previous government due to the negative effect it had on farmers’ bottom line.
Mr Park said the carbon tax had jeopardised the competitiveness of agriculture by increasing the costs of key production inputs, such as electricity.
“The inputs which have been affected are those which farmers do not have the capacity to pass on, therefore reducing farm profits,” he said.
“The Coalition has long campaigned that removing the carbon tax will reduce costs which increased following the tax’s introduction – we will be watching closely and eagerly to ensure this is the case.”
Despite WAFarmers’ opposition to the carbon tax, WA’s peak agricultural advocacy group recognises the reality of climate change and believes Australian agriculture has the potential to contribute to solutions.
“It is beyond doubt that action is needed to combat climate change, and there are definitely opportunities to use agriculture to reduce emissions,” Mr Park said.
“While many farmers already use targeted farming practices with the intention of reducing emissions, much more investment is needed for industry to make a greater difference.”
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All media requests must be directed to WAFarmers Marketing and Communications Officer Leslee Hall on (08) 9486 2100 or [email protected].
