NATIONAL Farmers’ Federation president David Jochinke has labelled the Federal Government’s recent correspondence on the live cattle class action as an “appalling attack on victims”.

In a letter the Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus sent to the NFF and provided to the Australian Financial Review last week, the Government has accused the class action of trying to line their pockets at the tax payers’ expense.

“This is outrageously misleading and a disgraceful attempt to bluff the public and play games with people who’ve already lost so much,” said Mr Jochinke, who is in the Northern Territory this week, speaking with producers.

“We are talking about a wrongdoing from 2011, that’s still dragging on. Since that time people have died, businesses have collapsed and families have cracked under the pressure.

“Yet the government continues with this contemptuous behaviour, ignorant of the devastation the unlawful ban brought upon people who continue to suffer financially and emotionally.”

Plenty has been said about the handling of the class action this year, with former NT Cattlemen’s Association chief executive officer Tracey Hayes calling out the conduct of the Government during a presentation at Beef 2024 in Rockhampton. Current NTCA also brought it to the attention of a parliamentary committee hearing into the live sheep phase out.

The Commonwealth has offered $215 million in settlement, which fell far short of the $500 million, plus interest, in damages the class is seeking.

The Government has indicated the Commonwealth’s offer is above the loss of expected profits for 2011-12.

Mr Jochinke said this did not account for the significant costs the victims suffered in the fallout from the ban.

“It’s incredibly misleading for the Government to claim the loss occurred only in a single year, and was confined only to expected profits.

“Lost profits are only the tip of the iceberg. That doesn’t account for the market crash that followed the ban. It completely ignores the cattle deaths the ban caused, the losses exporters, veterinarians and other businesses in the supply chain suffered, or the forced property sales that ensued.

“The Government is meant to be a model litigant. Instead, it’s now briefing mischievous nonsense to journalists. The complete disregard for producers who just want to move on is astonishing.”

Source: NFF