The LNP Senate team in Maryborough today said that the last Parliament has been the most anti-farmer for a generation.

"I have been in Parliament more than 20 years and I have never seen a Parliament that has passed so much legislation that has hurt the interests of farmers and regional Queensland" said Senator Ian Macdonald.

"From the carbon tax, to the live cattle trade, to marine reserves and chemical regulation, Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard have increased the costs of farming, made it harder to employ people and reduced the profitability of our farms."

The LNP Senate team made the comments today at the Maryborough Sugar Mill on a visit through the Wide Bay region. The team were joined by the local LNP candidate for Hinkler, Keith Pitt.

"Our region relies so much on agriculture, from sugar, horticulture, beef and other industries. This government has made it more expensive for farmers to pump water, access affordable chemicals and to transport goods" said Keith Pitt, LNP Candidate for Hinkler.

"Higher farming costs means fewer jobs for our region. A Coalition Government will reduce red tape and overturn much of the bad legislation passed by this Labor-Green government."

The LNP Senate team has compiled a list of anti-farmer legislative howlers that the Coalition opposed but was passed through the support of independents and minor parties. (The list is available at the back of the release.)

"The most disappointing thing about the past three years has been that so-called regional independents and minor parties have sold out the people they represent. We don't need more political experimentation in the next Parliament" said Matthew Canavan, LNP Candidate for the Senate.

"Experimentation might have been fine in the 1960s but we need a stable government right now. However bad we think the think the first movie has been, I fear a Green-Labor-Independent sequel could be worse.

"The facts are, if the LNP can elect four Senators, then the Greens will probably lose the balance of power. I'm sure many in regional Queensland will enjoy an extra drink on election night if we can deliver that result."

The Senate team stressed that the only way to remove the damage done by Labor was for the people to remove Labor and Green candidates from both the House of Representatives and the Senate. All legislation requires the support of 76 members of the House of Representatives and 39 Senators.

"We can't deliver real change by changing the Prime Minister, we need to change the Parliament. To do that we need two votes not just one, one in the House and one in the Senate" said Theresa Craig, LNP Candidate for the Senate.

"The Coalition needs to repair the damage done by Labor but the fix-it job will be harder if the Greens remain in control of the Senate."

12 August 2013