![Queensland LNP Senator Barry O'Sullivan and Australian Meat Industry Council chair Lachie Hart address beef producers at a public meeting at Roma saleyards yesterday afternoon. Queensland LNP Senator Barry O'Sullivan and Australian Meat Industry Council chair Lachie Hart address beef producers at a public meeting at Roma saleyards yesterday afternoon.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/38U3JBx5nNussShT8aZyYjc/49b487f2-4309-4ea6-9f28-6520295c4953.JPG/r0_267_5232_3220_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
THE appetite within the red meat supply chain for a code of practice for livestock buyers at saleyards looks set to be investigated.
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The code has been flagged as the industry’s way of stamping out practices causing angst and mistrust among producers.
Following a series of public forums in Queensland this week where producers and agents spoke about perceived collusion amongst buyers and practices such as commission buyers with multiple orders, meat industry representatives have asked the Red Meat Advisory Council to investigate whether support exists for such a code.
Australian Meat Industry Council chair Lachie Hart said first and foremost, industry stakeholders had to be consulted because such a code would have an effect on their businesses.
“There are people whose entire livelihood is based on saleyard selling,” he said.
“As an industry we have a responsibility to remove any practices that are creating concern.
“If we don’t, and these issues continue to be voiced, the government will come down with its own regulations.”
Mr Hart travelled with a group of beef industry leaders including Cattle Council of Australia’s David Hill, Meat and Livestock Australia managing director Richard Norton and Australian Meat Processor Corporation chair Peter Noble to western Queensland areas for the meetings.
The whirlwind tour was organised by Queensland LNP senator Barry O’Sullivan, with the brief of looking at ways the boom and bust cycle of profitability extremes in the red meat supply chain might be ironed out.
With a senate inquiry and Australian Competition and Consumer Commission market study currently both looking at saleyards and processing operations, the Federal Government was at the“serious phase” of considering how to make the red meat supply chain fairer, Senator O’Sullivan said.
He spoke strongly in favour of an industry drafted code, saying those in the business were best placed to drive solutions and governments should “stay out of it as much as possible.”
Many of the big challenges faced by the processing sector were also aired at the meetings, held in Longreach, Cloncurry, Quilpie and Roma.
In another outcome, Senator O’Sullivan has agreed to lead a delegation to the Agriculture Minister advocating more action towards the tearing down of technical barriers that exist with Australian beef’s overseas trading partners.
And he has vowed to push for ‘a thorough look’ into the excessive red tape that is hindering the ability of Australia’s beef exports to remain competitive internationally, indicating the issue ‘may end up under its own examination’.
“My government has a big appetite for this, the mood is there,” he said, of removing industry regulation.