PM should send Rudd, Emerson to Indonesia – says Macdonald

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Coalition spokesman on Northern and Remote Australia, Senator Ian Macdonald, today called on Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd and Trade Minister Craig Emerson to make a pre-Christmas dash to Indonesia to plead for a reversal of our key trading partner’s decision to halve live cattle imports from Australia next year.

“This should be No.1 priority for the Australian Government, given the damage that was done to our reputation as a reliable trading partner just a few short months ago when Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig made his kneejerk decision to ban live exports following cruelty claims aired on the ABC,” he said.

“Prime Minister Gillard should put aside her hatred of Kevin Rudd and immediately despatch the Foreign Minister and Trade Minister to Indonesia.

“Northern cattlemen are still reeling from that decision which crippled the northern live cattle industry and threw Indonesia’s immediate food requirements into chaos,” he said.

“It’s no surprise that the Indonesians now see us an unreliable trading partner and have decided to look elsewhere to shore up the nation’s future food security,” he said.

Sen. Macdonald said under no circumstances should Sen. Ludwig be permitted to be involved in any further discussions with Indonesia.

“Prime Minister Gillard should do everything in her power to convince the Indonesians to at least reconsider this decision,” he said.
“The Labor Government had no hesitation in sending over 40 delegates to the fruitless Durban climate change conference.

“I urge the Prime Minister to give this issue her highest priority.”

Sen. Macdonald said he had been reliably informed, despite public denials, that the Indonesian Government was extremely unhappy with the Labor Government’s decision.

“There is a definite element of payback in Indonesia’s decision to cut imports from 528,000 head to 280,000 head,” he said.

Sen. Macdonald, who has toured northern Australia extensively in the wake of the live cattle export ban, said some cattlemen and associated businesses had already gone broke as a result of the forced interruption to their cash flows.

“I am personally aware of tragic stories of financial and psychological suffering being experienced and I have urged the banks on a number of occasions to show compassion and restraint when dealing with people who are suffering through no fault of their own,” he said.

“The Federal Government has offered a paltry compensation package but it is nowhere near enough to help many of our valued cattle producers survive.

“It again shows how out of touch the Labor Government is when it comes to regional Australia,” he said.                                      

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