Agricultural
29 April, 2024
Shadow Minister visits abattoir, feedlot
The significant agricultural and manufacturing output of Oakey was in the spotlight last week, when Shadow Minister for Trade, Kevin Hogan, joined local member Garth Hamilton in town.
Visiting Oakey Beef and Kerwee feedlot, Mr Hamilton said it was important to showcase the economic power of Oakey businesses and ensure national leaders such as his colleague Mr Hogan understood both the challenges and opportunities.
“Here in Oakey, meat and meat product manufacturing as well as feedlot and farming activity are huge economic contributors supporting many local jobs,” he said.
“It was important for political leaders to come here, see the significant investment of local businesses in supporting the meat and feedlot industry, as a gateway region to Western Queensland and the Port.
“These businesses are investing in our region, supporting jobs, the local economy and yet they facing increasing costs and red tape.”
Mr Hamilton said according to the official Australian insolvency statistics, released by ASIC on 10 January 2024, manufacturing insolvencies have climbed steeply in recent times across Australia.
Mr Hamilton said several factors including the rising cost of energy, increasing red tape, complex industrial relations laws and an ‘anti-agriculture’ agenda under the current Federal Labor Government were putting pressure on critical local
industries such as meat manufacturing.
“The data shows that just half way into the 2023-24 financial year, 243 manufacturing businesses have already become insolvent,” he said.
“If the government were serious about Australian manufacturing and businesses they would be focused on getting energy costs down and reducing red tape, but the reality is the opposite is happening.
“I am very proud of our diverse economy here in Oakey and it is important that we continue to support these industries into the future.”
