It was the subject of bio-security and encroaching red tape that drew a crowd of cattle producers to Casino’s civic hall on Monday, but there was political outcome as well, with the majority signing up to a new ‘cattle house’.
It is hard to pack a crowd into the spacious art deco interior of Casino’s civic hall, but the 165-180 concerned cattle producers that attended the daytime meeting, sponsored by The Casino Auctioneers Association, filled the seats and lined the back wall.
In a region where most younger members of a family work off farm to pay the rates, it was no wonder that an older generation attended and yet there was no loss of vigour in their vocal opposition to new red tape in the form of Johnes disease regulation.
Beaudesert Qld stud producer Nick Cameron, Nindooinbah, warned cow and calf producers at Casino that market forces would soon dictate whether biosecurity measures were warranted.
He said his trade in bulls from Queensland to Western Australia forced the stud he manages to comply, or risk losing custom. Already Mr Cameron has refused to buy a desired bull from another producer because the JBAS score of the parent stud was lower than his own.
“I can’t risk it,” he told the crowd.
Foundation member of the Australian Beef Association, Alf Collins, Marlborough Qld rallied for civil disobedience in refusing to act on new Johnes management demands. But most people attending this meeting were more polite, muttering under their breath and off the record.
An exception was Kyogle Hereford producer Vince Ptolemy who demanded Barnaby Joyce put a halt to biosecurity proceedings until key concerns were worked out. “This issue may have been discussed at higher levels for the past two or three years but the cattleman has only just found out in recent weeks,” he said. “And now it is being rushed through with no chance of having a genuine independent look at it.”
Queensland senator Barry O’Sullivan advised frustrated cattle producers to stand up and unite, to form their own group and go to government with demands, rather than expect government to implement change on their behalf.
“I want to see a representative from this new cattle house that when he enters the lift on the ground floor, the minister and his advisers upstairs are quaking in their boots,” he said.
Australian Meat Holdings founder John Gunthorpe, now an active member of the BJD Action Group called for support to join the coalition, at the cost of $10. At the close of meeting Mr Gunthorpe’s new coalition received 120 signatures.
Mr O’Sullivan promoted the adoption of a new ‘cattle house’ with the aim of replacing the current Cattle Council. “Whether it be yours or his,” he said pointing at Mr Gunthorpe.
Mr O’Sullivan suggested the old body not be invited to the party. “You don’t build a new house,” he said, “and keep the same culture.”
