BRENDEN May laughs when he hears the expression “level playing field”.
He thinks Australia has embraced the concept to such an extent that our farmers have been hung out to dry.
“And The Nationals have let the electorate down – roads are neglected, schools are underfunded and hospitals need a desperate cash injection,” he says.
That is why the 48-year-old Forest Reefs potato farmer and sheep grazier has thrown down the gauntlet to The Nationals incumbent Bathurst MP Paul Toole and decided to run as a candidate for the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party at next year’s state election.
“Yes it’s a big call, but I’m passionate about it,” he said on Tuesday night, standing in front of bins of potatoes he has grown on his Central Tablelands holding, among the few growers left of what was once the fresh vegetable bowl of Orange and surrounding villages. “A lot of people are really disillusioned with the government because they feel they’re just not being heard.
“We’ve got to stick the wind up them somehow.
“We’ve got people from the Productivity Commission on indexed salaries telling us farmers don’t need subsidies,” he said.
“The level playing field around the globe doesn’t exist, we’re not being subisidised like the rest of the world’s farmers.”
The level playing field around the globe doesn’t exist, we’re not being subisidised like the rest of the world’s farmers.
- Brenden May
He described current drought assistance as paltry compared with $2 billion on Sydney sports stadiums.
“The last thing you want as a farmer is more debt, and that’s all that’s been offered, concessional loans,” Mr May said.
“We’re being told to be more resilient, but how can you guarantee banks when you can’t guarantee food production in your own country?” Mr May said he had been canvassing views across the electorate and had encountered a lot of anger about the now abandoned greyhound racing ban and forced council amalgamations. “People are extremely upset.”
He said the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers was a party the policies of which were driven by listening to people and that attitude had the potential to ruffle a lot of feathers.
“We’re really only just scratching the surface at this point,” he said.
