Yass backdrop for PM’s live exports, free trade pitch

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott and his ministerial colleagues descended on a Yass cattle farm yesterday morning spruiking the benefits of live cattle exports and the China Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA).

He was joined by Agriculture minister Barnaby Joyce, Trade and Investment minister Andrew Robb and Member for Hume Angus Taylor.

They were preceded by a cavalcade of press gallery journalists and cameramen who arrived at Mayor Rowena Abbey and her husband Brendan’s property “Bellevale” after a secretive last-minute announcement just an hour before the Prime Minister was due to arrive.

He was late on account of his motorcade stopping in at Roses Cafe for a coffee along the way.

The Prime Minster’s convoy arrives at Bellevale.

Upon arrival Mr Abbott met dignitaries over a good old-fashioned spread of morning tea treats and a warm fire pit, before leading the media scrum over to the cattle yards for a look at some of the Abbey’s stock which were ready for export.

The Prime Minister wasn’t afraid to get his shoes covered in manure either, climbing inside the cattle yards much to the trepidation of Ms Abbey, fearful that the animals had become a bit toey. There was a comment about how Brendan would probably step in to save the PM should a steer take a charge at them, but all the cameramen and photographers would need to fend for themselves!

Abbott shares a joke with the media scrum before official proceedings begin.

They discussed cattle prices and live exports, saying the price of cattle has risen 80 per cent to $1300-$1400 per head in the past six months.

“We are here to serve the Indonesian market. We are here to supply as many cattle as we can,” Mr Abbott said when asked about Indonesian demand dropping by more than half on last year to 200,000 to 300,000 head.

“But Indonesia’s growing middle class has an increasing appetite for beef and the best place for Indonesia to get beef is Australia, because our beef is very high quality and it’s readily available.

“Yes there have been some hiccups in this particular trade, starting from the former Labor Government’s absolutely catastrophic decision to cancel the live export trade out of panic at a TV program.”

But it was now back on track.

Barnaby Joyce with the PM and Angus Taylor. PHOTO: Riley Brine

Barnaby Joyce put it in more practical terms.

“If you just have a look at those cattle there, they are standing there at about $1400 a head.

“There are about 45,000 to 50,000 people that are employed in the processing sector for cattle. That is real jobs, that is real opportunity, that means it is not just the Abbeys on this property that are making a buck.

“It is all those meat workers, it is the IT people, it is the people who are in trade – all making a buck…

“It is in excess of between $7 and $8 billion take-home income in wages and salaries that is going through the economy because of the cattle industry.”

He said it was vital Australia worked in a partnership to keep protein affordable to the international market.

The weather was kind but the fire pit was most welcome.

“That’s the connection, we supply the protein, they consume the protein, we make a dollar, they make a dollar and it’s a very strong working relationship that we should never, ever put at risk.

The PM met Scoop’s youngest volunteers photographer Riley Brine and videographer Harvey Brine.

“What I think is very important is we end up with a longer term window to supply into… so that people such as the Abbeys…  can be part of the process of delivering to the requirements of Indonesia, as well as delivering to the requirements of Vietnam, China, the Middle East.”

Angus Taylor said the Yass Valley region was already reaping the rewards of “unprecedented opportunities” in agricultural markets lately.

“Regions like this are dependent on it, our investment and our jobs are dependent on it, and so we want to see much more of it,” he said. 

The export of the Abbey’s cattle “are exactly the sort of opportunities… we want to see much more of in coming years.”

Ms Abbey told Scoop she’d discussed Yass-specific topics with the PM briefly, nominating local infrastructure and schools as the Valley’s biggest issues.

Brendan and Rowena Abbey with Barnaby Joyce, Angus Taylor and Andrew Robb.

Videos of the event can be found by clicking the links below.

The PM discusses cattle prices with Michael Abbey and Barnaby Joyce.

Angus Taylor talks about the importance of agricultural trade relations.

Find related Scoop story here.