❓ Mr Cowper raises concerns about a milk price war impacting dairy farmers in his electorate. Minister Redman outlines actions taken, including meetings with Coles and Woolworths, and urges consumers to support WA-branded milk.
AnsweredQoN 37Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
DAIRY FARMERS — MILK PRICES
I am pleased to be part of a government that is prepared to tackle the difficult questions in this state. In my electorate we have a problem with the dairy industry, and there has recently been a price war over milk prices. Can the minister please tell us what the government is prepared to do to protect the dairy farmers of my electorate? Mr D.T. REDMAN
I am pleased to be part of a government that is prepared to tackle the difficult questions in this state. In my electorate we have a problem with the dairy industry, and there has recently been a price war over milk prices. Can the minister please tell us what the government is prepared to do to protect the dairy farmers of my electorate? Mr D.T. REDMAN
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Murray–Wellington for his question. I understand that there are a number of dairy farmers in his electorate. As I reported to the house last year on a couple of occasions, the dairy industry has been through quite a bit of turmoil over a number of years. There was the folding last year of Challenge Australia Dairy, of which the Western Australian Challenge Dairy Co-operative was part. As a result of the call the government made at the time, that matter fortunately played out in the market, and there has since been a settling down. The dairy farmers who were supplying that company were still able to supply their milk to a processor. Since then, a price war has occurred, and that concerns me. It was triggered at the national level by Coles announcing a particular pricing regime for its home brand milk. Over the past couple of weeks, my office has met with Woolworths. I met with the general manager of Coles yesterday, and we talked about the circumstances that present. Also, my colleague Hon Colin Holt from the South West Region has met with a range of dairy farmers to gather their views and concerns and so that they can have a talk to government, mainly to highlight the issue, but to also look at how we might respond as a government. The goal of my meeting yesterday was for Coles to explain to me the basis of the decisions it has made, and, I guess, to look me in the eye and tell me why these arrangements have been put in place. Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : This is a very, very serious matter, member, and I would not make light of the issue. Mr P.B. Watson : It is a serious matter. You haven’t been looking after the farmers! Mr D.T. REDMAN : The member is not giving me any chance — The SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The goal for me was to look Coles in the eye and have it confirm to me the reasons why it has put these arrangements in place, and to hold it to account for the public statement it has made, that it is not its intention to beat up farmers. Coles has made a public statement that, as it sees it, there is no reason its discounting of the retail price of milk should lead to a reduction in the farm gate price. It is my belief that the position it has taken on a national level is not a sustainable position, and while the prices at farm gate level have been negotiated recently, obviously, at some stage, those negotiations will arise again. I think it is incumbent on governments—including state governments—to watch those arrangements. Mr P.B. Watson : What are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : Western Australia has a very unique set of circumstances in that we do not have a lot of dairy farmers and we are quite an isolated group, and it is important that we keep a close eye on that. Mr P.B. Watson : Well, what are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : That is my target, and I have taken the steps of meeting with those groups; I want to hold them to account. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
Mr D.T. REDMAN replied: I thank the member for Murray–Wellington for his question. I understand that there are a number of dairy farmers in his electorate. As I reported to the house last year on a couple of occasions, the dairy industry has been through quite a bit of turmoil over a number of years. There was the folding last year of Challenge Australia Dairy, of which the Western Australian Challenge Dairy Co-operative was part. As a result of the call the government made at the time, that matter fortunately played out in the market, and there has since been a settling down. The dairy farmers who were supplying that company were still able to supply their milk to a processor. Since then, a price war has occurred, and that concerns me. It was triggered at the national level by Coles announcing a particular pricing regime for its home brand milk. Over the past couple of weeks, my office has met with Woolworths. I met with the general manager of Coles yesterday, and we talked about the circumstances that present. Also, my colleague Hon Colin Holt from the South West Region has met with a range of dairy farmers to gather their views and concerns and so that they can have a talk to government, mainly to highlight the issue, but to also look at how we might respond as a government. The goal of my meeting yesterday was for Coles to explain to me the basis of the decisions it has made, and, I guess, to look me in the eye and tell me why these arrangements have been put in place. Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : This is a very, very serious matter, member, and I would not make light of the issue. Mr P.B. Watson : It is a serious matter. You haven’t been looking after the farmers! Mr D.T. REDMAN : The member is not giving me any chance — The SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The goal for me was to look Coles in the eye and have it confirm to me the reasons why it has put these arrangements in place, and to hold it to account for the public statement it has made, that it is not its intention to beat up farmers. Coles has made a public statement that, as it sees it, there is no reason its discounting of the retail price of milk should lead to a reduction in the farm gate price. It is my belief that the position it has taken on a national level is not a sustainable position, and while the prices at farm gate level have been negotiated recently, obviously, at some stage, those negotiations will arise again. I think it is incumbent on governments—including state governments—to watch those arrangements. Mr P.B. Watson : What are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : Western Australia has a very unique set of circumstances in that we do not have a lot of dairy farmers and we are quite an isolated group, and it is important that we keep a close eye on that. Mr P.B. Watson : Well, what are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : That is my target, and I have taken the steps of meeting with those groups; I want to hold them to account. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
I thank the member for Murray–Wellington for his question. I understand that there are a number of dairy farmers in his electorate. As I reported to the house last year on a couple of occasions, the dairy industry has been through quite a bit of turmoil over a number of years. There was the folding last year of Challenge Australia Dairy, of which the Western Australian Challenge Dairy Co-operative was part. As a result of the call the government made at the time, that matter fortunately played out in the market, and there has since been a settling down. The dairy farmers who were supplying that company were still able to supply their milk to a processor. Since then, a price war has occurred, and that concerns me. It was triggered at the national level by Coles announcing a particular pricing regime for its home brand milk. Over the past couple of weeks, my office has met with Woolworths. I met with the general manager of Coles yesterday, and we talked about the circumstances that present. Also, my colleague Hon Colin Holt from the South West Region has met with a range of dairy farmers to gather their views and concerns and so that they can have a talk to government, mainly to highlight the issue, but to also look at how we might respond as a government. The goal of my meeting yesterday was for Coles to explain to me the basis of the decisions it has made, and, I guess, to look me in the eye and tell me why these arrangements have been put in place. Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : This is a very, very serious matter, member, and I would not make light of the issue. Mr P.B. Watson : It is a serious matter. You haven’t been looking after the farmers! Mr D.T. REDMAN : The member is not giving me any chance — The SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The goal for me was to look Coles in the eye and have it confirm to me the reasons why it has put these arrangements in place, and to hold it to account for the public statement it has made, that it is not its intention to beat up farmers. Coles has made a public statement that, as it sees it, there is no reason its discounting of the retail price of milk should lead to a reduction in the farm gate price. It is my belief that the position it has taken on a national level is not a sustainable position, and while the prices at farm gate level have been negotiated recently, obviously, at some stage, those negotiations will arise again. I think it is incumbent on governments—including state governments—to watch those arrangements. Mr P.B. Watson : What are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : Western Australia has a very unique set of circumstances in that we do not have a lot of dairy farmers and we are quite an isolated group, and it is important that we keep a close eye on that. Mr P.B. Watson : Well, what are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : That is my target, and I have taken the steps of meeting with those groups; I want to hold them to account. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
The goal of my meeting yesterday was for Coles to explain to me the basis of the decisions it has made, and, I guess, to look me in the eye and tell me why these arrangements have been put in place. Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : This is a very, very serious matter, member, and I would not make light of the issue. Mr P.B. Watson : It is a serious matter. You haven’t been looking after the farmers! Mr D.T. REDMAN : The member is not giving me any chance — The SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The goal for me was to look Coles in the eye and have it confirm to me the reasons why it has put these arrangements in place, and to hold it to account for the public statement it has made, that it is not its intention to beat up farmers. Coles has made a public statement that, as it sees it, there is no reason its discounting of the retail price of milk should lead to a reduction in the farm gate price. It is my belief that the position it has taken on a national level is not a sustainable position, and while the prices at farm gate level have been negotiated recently, obviously, at some stage, those negotiations will arise again. I think it is incumbent on governments—including state governments—to watch those arrangements. Mr P.B. Watson : What are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : Western Australia has a very unique set of circumstances in that we do not have a lot of dairy farmers and we are quite an isolated group, and it is important that we keep a close eye on that. Mr P.B. Watson : Well, what are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : That is my target, and I have taken the steps of meeting with those groups; I want to hold them to account. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : This is a very, very serious matter, member, and I would not make light of the issue. Mr P.B. Watson : It is a serious matter. You haven’t been looking after the farmers! Mr D.T. REDMAN : The member is not giving me any chance — The SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The goal for me was to look Coles in the eye and have it confirm to me the reasons why it has put these arrangements in place, and to hold it to account for the public statement it has made, that it is not its intention to beat up farmers. Coles has made a public statement that, as it sees it, there is no reason its discounting of the retail price of milk should lead to a reduction in the farm gate price. It is my belief that the position it has taken on a national level is not a sustainable position, and while the prices at farm gate level have been negotiated recently, obviously, at some stage, those negotiations will arise again. I think it is incumbent on governments—including state governments—to watch those arrangements. Mr P.B. Watson : What are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : Western Australia has a very unique set of circumstances in that we do not have a lot of dairy farmers and we are quite an isolated group, and it is important that we keep a close eye on that. Mr P.B. Watson : Well, what are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : That is my target, and I have taken the steps of meeting with those groups; I want to hold them to account. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : This is a very, very serious matter, member, and I would not make light of the issue. Mr P.B. Watson : It is a serious matter. You haven’t been looking after the farmers! Mr D.T. REDMAN : The member is not giving me any chance — The SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The goal for me was to look Coles in the eye and have it confirm to me the reasons why it has put these arrangements in place, and to hold it to account for the public statement it has made, that it is not its intention to beat up farmers. Coles has made a public statement that, as it sees it, there is no reason its discounting of the retail price of milk should lead to a reduction in the farm gate price. It is my belief that the position it has taken on a national level is not a sustainable position, and while the prices at farm gate level have been negotiated recently, obviously, at some stage, those negotiations will arise again. I think it is incumbent on governments—including state governments—to watch those arrangements. Mr P.B. Watson : What are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : Western Australia has a very unique set of circumstances in that we do not have a lot of dairy farmers and we are quite an isolated group, and it is important that we keep a close eye on that. Mr P.B. Watson : Well, what are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : That is my target, and I have taken the steps of meeting with those groups; I want to hold them to account. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : This is a very, very serious matter, member, and I would not make light of the issue. Mr P.B. Watson : It is a serious matter. You haven’t been looking after the farmers! Mr D.T. REDMAN : The member is not giving me any chance — The SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The goal for me was to look Coles in the eye and have it confirm to me the reasons why it has put these arrangements in place, and to hold it to account for the public statement it has made, that it is not its intention to beat up farmers. Coles has made a public statement that, as it sees it, there is no reason its discounting of the retail price of milk should lead to a reduction in the farm gate price. It is my belief that the position it has taken on a national level is not a sustainable position, and while the prices at farm gate level have been negotiated recently, obviously, at some stage, those negotiations will arise again. I think it is incumbent on governments—including state governments—to watch those arrangements. Mr P.B. Watson : What are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : Western Australia has a very unique set of circumstances in that we do not have a lot of dairy farmers and we are quite an isolated group, and it is important that we keep a close eye on that. Mr P.B. Watson : Well, what are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : That is my target, and I have taken the steps of meeting with those groups; I want to hold them to account. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
Mr P.B. Watson : It is a serious matter. You haven’t been looking after the farmers! Mr D.T. REDMAN : The member is not giving me any chance — The SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The goal for me was to look Coles in the eye and have it confirm to me the reasons why it has put these arrangements in place, and to hold it to account for the public statement it has made, that it is not its intention to beat up farmers. Coles has made a public statement that, as it sees it, there is no reason its discounting of the retail price of milk should lead to a reduction in the farm gate price. It is my belief that the position it has taken on a national level is not a sustainable position, and while the prices at farm gate level have been negotiated recently, obviously, at some stage, those negotiations will arise again. I think it is incumbent on governments—including state governments—to watch those arrangements. Mr P.B. Watson : What are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : Western Australia has a very unique set of circumstances in that we do not have a lot of dairy farmers and we are quite an isolated group, and it is important that we keep a close eye on that. Mr P.B. Watson : Well, what are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : That is my target, and I have taken the steps of meeting with those groups; I want to hold them to account. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : The member is not giving me any chance — The SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The goal for me was to look Coles in the eye and have it confirm to me the reasons why it has put these arrangements in place, and to hold it to account for the public statement it has made, that it is not its intention to beat up farmers. Coles has made a public statement that, as it sees it, there is no reason its discounting of the retail price of milk should lead to a reduction in the farm gate price. It is my belief that the position it has taken on a national level is not a sustainable position, and while the prices at farm gate level have been negotiated recently, obviously, at some stage, those negotiations will arise again. I think it is incumbent on governments—including state governments—to watch those arrangements. Mr P.B. Watson : What are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : Western Australia has a very unique set of circumstances in that we do not have a lot of dairy farmers and we are quite an isolated group, and it is important that we keep a close eye on that. Mr P.B. Watson : Well, what are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : That is my target, and I have taken the steps of meeting with those groups; I want to hold them to account. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
The SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The goal for me was to look Coles in the eye and have it confirm to me the reasons why it has put these arrangements in place, and to hold it to account for the public statement it has made, that it is not its intention to beat up farmers. Coles has made a public statement that, as it sees it, there is no reason its discounting of the retail price of milk should lead to a reduction in the farm gate price. It is my belief that the position it has taken on a national level is not a sustainable position, and while the prices at farm gate level have been negotiated recently, obviously, at some stage, those negotiations will arise again. I think it is incumbent on governments—including state governments—to watch those arrangements. Mr P.B. Watson : What are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : Western Australia has a very unique set of circumstances in that we do not have a lot of dairy farmers and we are quite an isolated group, and it is important that we keep a close eye on that. Mr P.B. Watson : Well, what are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : That is my target, and I have taken the steps of meeting with those groups; I want to hold them to account. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : The goal for me was to look Coles in the eye and have it confirm to me the reasons why it has put these arrangements in place, and to hold it to account for the public statement it has made, that it is not its intention to beat up farmers. Coles has made a public statement that, as it sees it, there is no reason its discounting of the retail price of milk should lead to a reduction in the farm gate price. It is my belief that the position it has taken on a national level is not a sustainable position, and while the prices at farm gate level have been negotiated recently, obviously, at some stage, those negotiations will arise again. I think it is incumbent on governments—including state governments—to watch those arrangements. Mr P.B. Watson : What are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : Western Australia has a very unique set of circumstances in that we do not have a lot of dairy farmers and we are quite an isolated group, and it is important that we keep a close eye on that. Mr P.B. Watson : Well, what are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : That is my target, and I have taken the steps of meeting with those groups; I want to hold them to account. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
Mr P.B. Watson : What are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : Western Australia has a very unique set of circumstances in that we do not have a lot of dairy farmers and we are quite an isolated group, and it is important that we keep a close eye on that. Mr P.B. Watson : Well, what are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : That is my target, and I have taken the steps of meeting with those groups; I want to hold them to account. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : Western Australia has a very unique set of circumstances in that we do not have a lot of dairy farmers and we are quite an isolated group, and it is important that we keep a close eye on that. Mr P.B. Watson : Well, what are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : That is my target, and I have taken the steps of meeting with those groups; I want to hold them to account. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
Mr P.B. Watson : Well, what are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : That is my target, and I have taken the steps of meeting with those groups; I want to hold them to account. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : That is my target, and I have taken the steps of meeting with those groups; I want to hold them to account. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
Mr D.T. REDMAN replied: I thank the member for Murray–Wellington for his question. I understand that there are a number of dairy farmers in his electorate. As I reported to the house last year on a couple of occasions, the dairy industry has been through quite a bit of turmoil over a number of years. There was the folding last year of Challenge Australia Dairy, of which the Western Australian Challenge Dairy Co-operative was part. As a result of the call the government made at the time, that matter fortunately played out in the market, and there has since been a settling down. The dairy farmers who were supplying that company were still able to supply their milk to a processor. Since then, a price war has occurred, and that concerns me. It was triggered at the national level by Coles announcing a particular pricing regime for its home brand milk. Over the past couple of weeks, my office has met with Woolworths. I met with the general manager of Coles yesterday, and we talked about the circumstances that present. Also, my colleague Hon Colin Holt from the South West Region has met with a range of dairy farmers to gather their views and concerns and so that they can have a talk to government, mainly to highlight the issue, but to also look at how we might respond as a government. The goal of my meeting yesterday was for Coles to explain to me the basis of the decisions it has made, and, I guess, to look me in the eye and tell me why these arrangements have been put in place. Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : This is a very, very serious matter, member, and I would not make light of the issue. Mr P.B. Watson : It is a serious matter. You haven’t been looking after the farmers! Mr D.T. REDMAN : The member is not giving me any chance — The SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The goal for me was to look Coles in the eye and have it confirm to me the reasons why it has put these arrangements in place, and to hold it to account for the public statement it has made, that it is not its intention to beat up farmers. Coles has made a public statement that, as it sees it, there is no reason its discounting of the retail price of milk should lead to a reduction in the farm gate price. It is my belief that the position it has taken on a national level is not a sustainable position, and while the prices at farm gate level have been negotiated recently, obviously, at some stage, those negotiations will arise again. I think it is incumbent on governments—including state governments—to watch those arrangements. Mr P.B. Watson : What are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : Western Australia has a very unique set of circumstances in that we do not have a lot of dairy farmers and we are quite an isolated group, and it is important that we keep a close eye on that. Mr P.B. Watson : Well, what are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : That is my target, and I have taken the steps of meeting with those groups; I want to hold them to account. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
I thank the member for Murray–Wellington for his question. I understand that there are a number of dairy farmers in his electorate. As I reported to the house last year on a couple of occasions, the dairy industry has been through quite a bit of turmoil over a number of years. There was the folding last year of Challenge Australia Dairy, of which the Western Australian Challenge Dairy Co-operative was part. As a result of the call the government made at the time, that matter fortunately played out in the market, and there has since been a settling down. The dairy farmers who were supplying that company were still able to supply their milk to a processor. Since then, a price war has occurred, and that concerns me. It was triggered at the national level by Coles announcing a particular pricing regime for its home brand milk. Over the past couple of weeks, my office has met with Woolworths. I met with the general manager of Coles yesterday, and we talked about the circumstances that present. Also, my colleague Hon Colin Holt from the South West Region has met with a range of dairy farmers to gather their views and concerns and so that they can have a talk to government, mainly to highlight the issue, but to also look at how we might respond as a government. The goal of my meeting yesterday was for Coles to explain to me the basis of the decisions it has made, and, I guess, to look me in the eye and tell me why these arrangements have been put in place. Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : This is a very, very serious matter, member, and I would not make light of the issue. Mr P.B. Watson : It is a serious matter. You haven’t been looking after the farmers! Mr D.T. REDMAN : The member is not giving me any chance — The SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The goal for me was to look Coles in the eye and have it confirm to me the reasons why it has put these arrangements in place, and to hold it to account for the public statement it has made, that it is not its intention to beat up farmers. Coles has made a public statement that, as it sees it, there is no reason its discounting of the retail price of milk should lead to a reduction in the farm gate price. It is my belief that the position it has taken on a national level is not a sustainable position, and while the prices at farm gate level have been negotiated recently, obviously, at some stage, those negotiations will arise again. I think it is incumbent on governments—including state governments—to watch those arrangements. Mr P.B. Watson : What are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : Western Australia has a very unique set of circumstances in that we do not have a lot of dairy farmers and we are quite an isolated group, and it is important that we keep a close eye on that. Mr P.B. Watson : Well, what are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : That is my target, and I have taken the steps of meeting with those groups; I want to hold them to account. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
The goal of my meeting yesterday was for Coles to explain to me the basis of the decisions it has made, and, I guess, to look me in the eye and tell me why these arrangements have been put in place. Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : This is a very, very serious matter, member, and I would not make light of the issue. Mr P.B. Watson : It is a serious matter. You haven’t been looking after the farmers! Mr D.T. REDMAN : The member is not giving me any chance — The SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The goal for me was to look Coles in the eye and have it confirm to me the reasons why it has put these arrangements in place, and to hold it to account for the public statement it has made, that it is not its intention to beat up farmers. Coles has made a public statement that, as it sees it, there is no reason its discounting of the retail price of milk should lead to a reduction in the farm gate price. It is my belief that the position it has taken on a national level is not a sustainable position, and while the prices at farm gate level have been negotiated recently, obviously, at some stage, those negotiations will arise again. I think it is incumbent on governments—including state governments—to watch those arrangements. Mr P.B. Watson : What are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : Western Australia has a very unique set of circumstances in that we do not have a lot of dairy farmers and we are quite an isolated group, and it is important that we keep a close eye on that. Mr P.B. Watson : Well, what are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : That is my target, and I have taken the steps of meeting with those groups; I want to hold them to account. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : This is a very, very serious matter, member, and I would not make light of the issue. Mr P.B. Watson : It is a serious matter. You haven’t been looking after the farmers! Mr D.T. REDMAN : The member is not giving me any chance — The SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The goal for me was to look Coles in the eye and have it confirm to me the reasons why it has put these arrangements in place, and to hold it to account for the public statement it has made, that it is not its intention to beat up farmers. Coles has made a public statement that, as it sees it, there is no reason its discounting of the retail price of milk should lead to a reduction in the farm gate price. It is my belief that the position it has taken on a national level is not a sustainable position, and while the prices at farm gate level have been negotiated recently, obviously, at some stage, those negotiations will arise again. I think it is incumbent on governments—including state governments—to watch those arrangements. Mr P.B. Watson : What are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : Western Australia has a very unique set of circumstances in that we do not have a lot of dairy farmers and we are quite an isolated group, and it is important that we keep a close eye on that. Mr P.B. Watson : Well, what are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : That is my target, and I have taken the steps of meeting with those groups; I want to hold them to account. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : This is a very, very serious matter, member, and I would not make light of the issue. Mr P.B. Watson : It is a serious matter. You haven’t been looking after the farmers! Mr D.T. REDMAN : The member is not giving me any chance — The SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The goal for me was to look Coles in the eye and have it confirm to me the reasons why it has put these arrangements in place, and to hold it to account for the public statement it has made, that it is not its intention to beat up farmers. Coles has made a public statement that, as it sees it, there is no reason its discounting of the retail price of milk should lead to a reduction in the farm gate price. It is my belief that the position it has taken on a national level is not a sustainable position, and while the prices at farm gate level have been negotiated recently, obviously, at some stage, those negotiations will arise again. I think it is incumbent on governments—including state governments—to watch those arrangements. Mr P.B. Watson : What are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : Western Australia has a very unique set of circumstances in that we do not have a lot of dairy farmers and we are quite an isolated group, and it is important that we keep a close eye on that. Mr P.B. Watson : Well, what are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : That is my target, and I have taken the steps of meeting with those groups; I want to hold them to account. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : This is a very, very serious matter, member, and I would not make light of the issue. Mr P.B. Watson : It is a serious matter. You haven’t been looking after the farmers! Mr D.T. REDMAN : The member is not giving me any chance — The SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The goal for me was to look Coles in the eye and have it confirm to me the reasons why it has put these arrangements in place, and to hold it to account for the public statement it has made, that it is not its intention to beat up farmers. Coles has made a public statement that, as it sees it, there is no reason its discounting of the retail price of milk should lead to a reduction in the farm gate price. It is my belief that the position it has taken on a national level is not a sustainable position, and while the prices at farm gate level have been negotiated recently, obviously, at some stage, those negotiations will arise again. I think it is incumbent on governments—including state governments—to watch those arrangements. Mr P.B. Watson : What are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : Western Australia has a very unique set of circumstances in that we do not have a lot of dairy farmers and we are quite an isolated group, and it is important that we keep a close eye on that. Mr P.B. Watson : Well, what are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : That is my target, and I have taken the steps of meeting with those groups; I want to hold them to account. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
Mr P.B. Watson : It is a serious matter. You haven’t been looking after the farmers! Mr D.T. REDMAN : The member is not giving me any chance — The SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The goal for me was to look Coles in the eye and have it confirm to me the reasons why it has put these arrangements in place, and to hold it to account for the public statement it has made, that it is not its intention to beat up farmers. Coles has made a public statement that, as it sees it, there is no reason its discounting of the retail price of milk should lead to a reduction in the farm gate price. It is my belief that the position it has taken on a national level is not a sustainable position, and while the prices at farm gate level have been negotiated recently, obviously, at some stage, those negotiations will arise again. I think it is incumbent on governments—including state governments—to watch those arrangements. Mr P.B. Watson : What are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : Western Australia has a very unique set of circumstances in that we do not have a lot of dairy farmers and we are quite an isolated group, and it is important that we keep a close eye on that. Mr P.B. Watson : Well, what are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : That is my target, and I have taken the steps of meeting with those groups; I want to hold them to account. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : The member is not giving me any chance — The SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The goal for me was to look Coles in the eye and have it confirm to me the reasons why it has put these arrangements in place, and to hold it to account for the public statement it has made, that it is not its intention to beat up farmers. Coles has made a public statement that, as it sees it, there is no reason its discounting of the retail price of milk should lead to a reduction in the farm gate price. It is my belief that the position it has taken on a national level is not a sustainable position, and while the prices at farm gate level have been negotiated recently, obviously, at some stage, those negotiations will arise again. I think it is incumbent on governments—including state governments—to watch those arrangements. Mr P.B. Watson : What are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : Western Australia has a very unique set of circumstances in that we do not have a lot of dairy farmers and we are quite an isolated group, and it is important that we keep a close eye on that. Mr P.B. Watson : Well, what are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : That is my target, and I have taken the steps of meeting with those groups; I want to hold them to account. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
The SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The goal for me was to look Coles in the eye and have it confirm to me the reasons why it has put these arrangements in place, and to hold it to account for the public statement it has made, that it is not its intention to beat up farmers. Coles has made a public statement that, as it sees it, there is no reason its discounting of the retail price of milk should lead to a reduction in the farm gate price. It is my belief that the position it has taken on a national level is not a sustainable position, and while the prices at farm gate level have been negotiated recently, obviously, at some stage, those negotiations will arise again. I think it is incumbent on governments—including state governments—to watch those arrangements. Mr P.B. Watson : What are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : Western Australia has a very unique set of circumstances in that we do not have a lot of dairy farmers and we are quite an isolated group, and it is important that we keep a close eye on that. Mr P.B. Watson : Well, what are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : That is my target, and I have taken the steps of meeting with those groups; I want to hold them to account. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : The goal for me was to look Coles in the eye and have it confirm to me the reasons why it has put these arrangements in place, and to hold it to account for the public statement it has made, that it is not its intention to beat up farmers. Coles has made a public statement that, as it sees it, there is no reason its discounting of the retail price of milk should lead to a reduction in the farm gate price. It is my belief that the position it has taken on a national level is not a sustainable position, and while the prices at farm gate level have been negotiated recently, obviously, at some stage, those negotiations will arise again. I think it is incumbent on governments—including state governments—to watch those arrangements. Mr P.B. Watson : What are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : Western Australia has a very unique set of circumstances in that we do not have a lot of dairy farmers and we are quite an isolated group, and it is important that we keep a close eye on that. Mr P.B. Watson : Well, what are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : That is my target, and I have taken the steps of meeting with those groups; I want to hold them to account. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
Mr P.B. Watson : What are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : Western Australia has a very unique set of circumstances in that we do not have a lot of dairy farmers and we are quite an isolated group, and it is important that we keep a close eye on that. Mr P.B. Watson : Well, what are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : That is my target, and I have taken the steps of meeting with those groups; I want to hold them to account. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : Western Australia has a very unique set of circumstances in that we do not have a lot of dairy farmers and we are quite an isolated group, and it is important that we keep a close eye on that. Mr P.B. Watson : Well, what are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : That is my target, and I have taken the steps of meeting with those groups; I want to hold them to account. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
Mr P.B. Watson : Well, what are you going to do? Mr D.T. REDMAN : That is my target, and I have taken the steps of meeting with those groups; I want to hold them to account. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : That is my target, and I have taken the steps of meeting with those groups; I want to hold them to account. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : I am going to answer that question. Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
Additionally, I have written to all the processors in the state to highlight my concerns, and I want them to let me know if there is evidence in the marketplace that the position outlined by Coles and others is not being adhered to. One of the concerns is that the signals out there have the potential to undervalue the industry. We need to have industry confidence, and it is really important that we maintain that. I call on consumers to not underestimate the power they have, and I certainly urge people to buy WA-branded milk and to support their local dairy industry. That is something we are watching closely. In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
In summary, the government is concerned, and it is monitoring the commitment these people have made. I do not believe the current position is sustainable; it has the potential to undermine industry confidence in Western Australia, and I certainly will be watching it very closely.
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