COUNTRY RURAL AND REGIONAL Australia’s country and regional communities are key contributors to the national economy and play a vital role in the prosperity of this Nation. Rural Australia is the source of national self-sufficiency. Australia can sustain itself in terms of minerals, energy, and most other natural resources, but it is rural Australia that makes these resources available to the Nation. Policies of unilateral tariff reductions and deregulation of financial systems are ideologicallymotivated. Tragically, the ideology driving these policies is seriously flawed. Our competitors have continued to protect their industries and their National sovereignty, while Australia has exposed itself to deregulation, free trade, globalisation and economic rationalism. One Nation recognises the need for value adding of Australian produce, thereby reducing our dependency on imported manufactured goods. Tariffs must be re-introduced where these areas are being utilised and new development is taking place. 1. If a country has an agricultural base from which to feed the people, industrial infrastructure, a skilled manufacturing base, oil and mineral resources and a healthy, united and educated population, it has the essentials to become self-sufficient. If that country is barren of opportunity for its young, unable to care for its aged, dependent on goods and finance from foreigners and unemployment among its workforce is rife; the problem is political ineptitude and economic mismanagement. The key to ensuring the prosperity of the bush and indeed the entire country is to do as much ‘value adding’ of Australian produce as possible in Australia, thereby reducing our dependence on imported manufactured goods. This is the best way to create employment opportunities in the bush and the city and improve our balance of trade figures and standard of living. Australia has a very clear choice – we either make and buy Australian goods, which means Australian jobs, or buy cheaper subsidised products and continue losing jobs. 2. One Nation will establish a national bank, (‘The Bank of Australia’), to provide long term, low interest funding. The bank will provide low cost finance for consolidation of existing business and industry debt, allow further expansion of new ventures and provide essential funding for debt reconstruction for the Australian primary producer and small business. The inability to access government assistance, due to excessively restrictive criteria, has caused loss of equity and viability with existing debt burdens. The Nation has a choice – to continue to lose farmers and small business, or provide suitable funding. Unless a debt reconstruction plan is adopted, Australia will continue to lose the family farm. 3. Australia cannot afford to continue importing at current levels. One Nation believes that Australia must shift the emphasis in the rural industry, from being a raw commodity producer, to becoming a value-added manufacturing economy. We need to start manufacturing and making these imports ourselves. Our balance of trade figures tell us that now – so do our unemployment figures. One Nation believes that Australian manufacturing industry will always suffer from a degree of diseconomy of scale and will require some form of protection from externalities created by an “uneven playing field.” (i.e. some form of tariff protection). 4. One Nation would introduce a simple labelling system of three categories to allow consumers to purchase Australian-made products with confidence. These categories of labelling are as follows: 100% Australian owned and made – (denoted pictorially by a green light in a traffic signal). 100% foreign owned and made – (denoted by a red light in a traffic signal). A combination of the above – (denoted by an amber light in a traffic signal). 5. One Nation will broaden the eligibility criteria of “exceptional circumstances” assistance. Too many people in need have been excluded from assistance in the past, due to eligibility criteria, which has been too narrow. 6. One Nation will continue to support the rural disaster fund and will review the level of support provided to rural people and communities. In particular, One Nation will provide low interest loans at reasonable rates, following natural disasters. One Nation is committed to the provision of adequate water resources. One Nation opposes the privatisation of water. One Nation supports the right of the farmer to use (without government control of charges) water collected in on-farm storage. One Nation supports the establishment of a Ministry of Water, the establishment of a Federal Ministry on Interior Infrastructure and Regional Australia and the abolition of the cap by the Murray Darling Ministerial Council and replacing it with a flexible management system in tune with the varying conditions of the local river system and the environment. 7. One Nation will adopt a stronger negotiating role to achieve outcomes more beneficial to Australian exporters. One Nation believes that current multilateral agreements have not necessarily served in our interests. We believe we have become a “soft touch” and must adopt a stronger position in all trade negotiations. One Nation is acutely aware of the damage that has been done to the Dairy Industry by deregulation and will do all in its power to investigate and put in place regulations to give the Dairy farmer a fair and equitable farm-gate price for his produce. 8. One Nation recognises that many of our trading partners implement barriers with a variety of names, which in effect are tariffs. One Nation will protect our primary and manufacturing industries and impose tariffs where necessary and with consultation and the approval of industry – • At least equivalent to those trading partners in respect of reciprocal trade, provided this is not detrimental to other Australian industry. • At sufficient levels to protect unfair competition for subsidised, sub-standard or predatory priced imports. • At sufficient levels to preclude competing imports from countries that provide no reciprocal export opportunities. • To further prevent “dumping” on Australian markets. One Nation also has comprehensive policy on the following subjects relating to Country-Rural and Regional matters: Foreign Ownership – Finance – Land Tenure – Water – Environment – The Beef Industry – Forestry – Grain – Quarantine – Research and Development – Country Population Growth – Rural Apprenticeships – Genetically Modified Grains and Produce – Sheep and Wool – The Pork Industry – Horticulture and Small Crops etc. etc.
Posted on: Sun, 04 Aug 2013 10:55:43 +0000
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