The three agriculture ministers whose state and territory jurisdictions cover northern Australia yesterday joined forces to send a clear message to whoever ends up taking charge in Canberra in coming months: Australia must improve its relations with Indonesia.

The collective call was voiced at a Northern Australian Beef Industry Roundtable jointly convened in Darwin yesterday by NT Primary Industries minister Willem Westra van Holthe, Queensland agriculture minister John McVeigh and WA agriculture minister Ken Baston.

The meeting was held before last night’s dramatic events in Canberra which saw Kevin Rudd replace Julia Gillard as prime minister in a leadership spill, and several federal ministers resign as a result.

The resigning ministers included agriculture minister Joe Ludwig, a man many in the north view as the architect of the northern cattle industry’s breakdown in recent years due to his shock 2011 decision to ban cattle exports to Indonesia without consultation, and the damaging impact that decision has had on ongoing relations with the region’s most important cattle market.

While focusing their message on PM Julia Gillard, who at the time of yesterday’s meeting was still PM, and who had planned to visited Indonesia next month, the message from the three state and territory ministers still applies to the new Rudd Government and whichever party takes power after the forthcoming federal election.

“The Commonwealth Government is still yet to apologise to the Indonesian Government for the damage the live export ban caused,” Mr Westra van Holthe said.

“Once the Commonwealth acknowledges the harm it has caused we will be in a much better position to rebuild and move on.”

Mr Westra van Holthe and Mr McVeigh visited Indonesia last month and discussed Australia’s trade relations with Indonesian Ministers.

“We’re working hard to re-build trade connections with Indonesia that were severely damaged by the Gillard Government’s knee-jerk suspension of the live trade in May 2011,” Mr McVeigh said.

“Indonesia is a vital market for producers in northern Australia who’ve suffered due to the thoughtless actions of the Gillard Government.  We need that corrected as soon as possible.

“In today’s roundtable meeting we have discussed the practical details of a number of matters with industry including: costs of production, facilitation of trade, promotion of the benefits of live and boxed beef trade; and the need to work cooperatively on the supply chain for the best interests of both Australia and Indonesia.”

Mr Baston said the live export ban had cost Kimberley pastoralists tens of millions of dollars and had threatened the viability of their operations.

“I expect it’ll be up to the Federal Opposition – in conjunction with the northern Agriculture Ministers – to rebuild relations after the election.”

Mr Westra van Holthe said the roundtable has provided the ministers with the opportunity to look at the cattle industry from a holistic viewpoint, northern Australia as one cohesive area. 

“The cattle industry has taken a battering over the past few years. We want to grow our cattle industry. We acknowledge it’s going to take a combined effort from all Governments.”