WITH news that the Coalition will vote against the Australia–European Union Free Trade Agreement as it stands, the National Farmers’ Federation is urging every party in the Parliament to put Australian farmers first and vote against the deal.
The NFF continues to oppose the agreement concluded in March, on the basis that it offers no material improvement for key agricultural commodities on the proposal the Australian Government rightly rejected in October 2023.
The NFF has always supported free and fair trade, and more agricultural trade with Europe remains in Australia’s national interest. But this agreement must deliver commercially meaningful and competitive access for Australian agriculture.
The current one-sided deal would lock in decades of disadvantage, at a time when commodities like beef, dairy and sugar are already under immense pressure. Australian farmers cannot be expected to accept subpar market access while European producers continue to benefit from billion-dollar subsidies. That would be a double blow to our competitiveness.
This is about an agreement that serves Australia’s long-term interests and gives our farmers a fair opportunity in one of the world’s largest markets.
We are calling on all parties to stand with Australian farmers and insist on a trade outcome that is genuinely free, fair and commercially meaningful.
Cattle Australia view
In separate commentary this week, Cattle Australia chief executive Will Evans says after more than ten years of negotiations, the outcome of the Australia–EU Free Trade Agreement is not what what the beef industry was hoping for.
“We’re disappointed,” he said. The beef access we’ve secured will be phased in over the next decade. Once it is fully in place, it will allow around 30,000 tonnes of Australian beef each year.”
“To put that in perspective, in the last 12 months Australia exported about 30,000t of beef each week. So after a decade at the table with one of the largest trading blocs in the world, what we’ve gained is roughly one week’s worth of production.”
“That is not a fair trade. It is a one-way street,” Mr Evans said.
“Cattle Australia will keep pressing government for genuine market access for Australian beef, and will keep holding negotiators to account for outcomes that reflect the size and quality of our industry.”
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