Country MPs: Choose Constituency or China
Bev McArthur MP has called upon Western Victorian Labor MPs Jaala Pulford (Western Victoria Region), Gayle Tierney (Western Victoria Region), Lisa Neville (Bellarine), Darren Cheeseman (South Barwon), Julianna Addison (Wendouree), Michaela Settle (Buninyong), Steve McGhie (Melton) and John Eren (Lara) to denounce Tim Pallas’ decision to side with the Chinese Communist Party and to stand up for Australian barley farmers.
The Treasurer of Victoria, Tim Pallas remarked that Beijing’s proposed 80% tariff on Australian barley was “a consequence of the way that the federal government had conducted themselves.”
In other words, this tariff apparently had nothing to do with a belligerent communist dictatorship hell-bent on avoiding proper scrutiny over the virus that emanated from Wuhan, bringing lives to an end, putting millions on the unemployment scrap-heap, leaving businesses bankrupt and national economies in generational debt.
Victorian barley production in 2019-20 was 2.5 million tonnes, with forecasts that the 2020/21 Victorian barley crop will cover 930,000 hectares. Forty-nine percent of the nation’s barley is currently exported to China.
A significant proportion of Victoria’s barley production takes place in Western Victoria, predominantly in the Mallee and Wimmera regions, much of which is exported from the Geelong Port.
Quotes attributable to Bev McArthur MP:
“Western Victorian Labor MPs in both the upper and lower houses of state parliament, must make it clear to their constituents whether they support their interests or like the Treasurer, they support those of the Chinese Communist Party.”
“These MPs all represent constituencies that are supported by Victorian barley production, which provides massive benefit to the local, state and national economy.”
“They should follow the example of their federal counterparts, such as Victorian Senator Kitching, and reject the remarks made by Tim Pallas.”
“The Victorian Labor Party, time and time again, appears to back the interests of a communist regime, demonstrated in their unwavering support for the dictatorship’s ‘development’ deal, as a signatory to the $1.5 trillion Belt and Road Initiative.”
“This Labor State Government neglects the interests of rural barley farmers, seeming to care only for those inside the tram tracks of Melbourne and the offices in Tiananmen Square.”
20 May 2020
