Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig has raised fresh doubts about his ministerial capabilities today by refusing to release Government documents related to the live export ban fiasco.

In line with a motion from Senator Colbeck on November 3, the Senate had ordered all documents, including electronic communications, held by the Australian Government Solicitor which relate to the live export ban be produced by 4pm today.

“Minister Ludwig chose only to release documents that were already in th...

There was yet more evidence today that Federal Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig has disconnected from his portfolio with his admission to the Senate that he has failed to appoint a new board for the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC).

In response to questions asked by Senator Colbeck, Minister Ludwig confirmed he was yet to appoint a new GRDC board even though the previous board’s term expired on September 30.

“GRDC is the biggest research and development corporation in A...

The Hon John Cobb MP
Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Food Security

Farmers who had made the gut-wrenching decision to exit the Industry because of the availability of the government’s exit grant have been left out in the cold, Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Food Security, John Cobb, said today.

“Having committed to the sale of properties farmers now find themselves short-changed because Labor has been too mean to fund the program adequately.

“In the this y...

Senator Fiona Nash
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Education

Parents are struggling to pay school fees or to home tutor their young children because of the financial impact still being felt from the Gillard government’s suspension of live cattle exports to Indonesia, the Coalition’s Regional Education spokesperson, Senator Fiona Nash, said.

The government suspended all trade to Indonesia in early June after the ABC aired television footage of cattle being mistrea...

“Just a trickle of Australian cattle have been shipped to Indonesia since the Gillard government reopened the live trade 11 weeks ago,” Leader of The Nationals Warren Truss said today.

“Only 60,000 head have been transported at a time of year when our live cattle exporters would normally be sending more than double that number. Last year, in excess of 172,000 head were exported to Indonesia from June through September.

“Labor’s raw hide was on display last Friday when Special Mini...