The Government's priorities are all wrong. Drought-devasted farmers get less than half as much money as climate change theory.

MEDIA RELEASE

Farmers burn while Turnbull rains money on the reef

Farmers have to jump through more hoops to access less than half as much money as was given without a tender process to a reef organisation, Conservative Party spokesman Lyle Shelton said today.

“The Prime Minister has given $444 million of taxpayers’ money to the mysterious Great Barrier Reef Foundation while drought-devasted farmers have to wade through bureaucracy to access a $190 million assistance package,” Mr Shelton said.

“After filling out paper work, farmers can access $12,000 each but that is hardly enough for a truckload of hay.

“Yet the GBRF is given almost half a billion of taxpayers’ money without even asking for it.

“It seems like the Government’s priorities are all wrong.”

Mr Shelton said reports that one of the GBRF directors wants Australia’s carbon dioxide emissions reduced to zero by 2050 should alarm every farmer.

“Imagine how half a billion could be used to convince naïve city dwellers of this.

“With livestock a major source of emissions, Australia’s meat industry would be devastated.

“Climate change theory is not only robbing Australia of its competitive energy advantage, it is making government do strange things with taxpayers’ money.”

Media Contact: Lyle Shelton [email protected]