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  • Time to include farmers in the Carbon Farming Plan

    20/01/11

    The Federal Government should provide farmers with an extension of time to provide comments on plans to roll-out a national carbon offset scheme.

    Earlier this month Climate Change Minister Greg Combet advised that farmers had until 21 January to comment on a discussion paper for the proposed Carbon Farming Initiative.

    Shadow Minister for Climate Action Greg Hunt and Shadow Minister for Agriculture John Cobb said many farmers are still dealing with flooding, the busy harvest season or the Christmas-New Year season break.

    “Any fair-minded person would recognise the stresses now being faced by many farmers and extend the deadline for submissions for this program,” Mr Hunt said.

    “We can’t have a situation where the views of farmers are not included in what should be an effective consultation exercise.

    “Surely Mr Combet isn’t proposing a Carbon Farming Initiative without engaging the farmers?”

    Mr Cobb said he had written to the Minister seeking a four week extension on the deadline.

    “I told the Minister that it was important that farmers were given more time to closely examine the discussion paper so they could make proper, detailed submissions,” Mr Cobb said.

    “We need to maximise the chance of a fair, balanced and transparent outcome.”

    Mr Cobb reminded the Minister that workshops on the carbon farming plan were held in capital cities and not in farming communities where such a scheme is likely to have the greatest impact.

    “Given the enormous burdens being faced by farmers with flooding and other factors, we call on Mr Combet to show commonsense on this issue before tomorrow’s deadline,” Mr Hunt and Mr Cobb said.

    “If the Government can’t get farmers properly involved in the carbon farming program, serious questions will be raised about the Government’s capacity to deliver an effective, fair program.”
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