Australian Farmers' views sought on wheat export system

The Federal Government has released draft legislation to change the way Australia's export wheat is marketed from a single desk to multiple licences after the AWB kickbacks scandal.

But the independent Member for New England in northern New South Wales, Tony Windsor, says the Government has failed to ask wheat growers what they want.

"After all it is their industry not the Government's," he said.

The survey asks three questions about whether farmers support a single desk, a multiple licensing system or a fully deregulated market.

And Mr Windsor says nothing is irreversible.

"So if there is a strong response from growers that is representative of a broad cross section of growers, and they come down in one shape or other in terms of their preferred marketing arrangement, I think it could make some difference," he said.

Mr Windsor says previous surveys have shown 82 per cent of farmers wanted to hang on to the single desk.

Farmers have until mid April to reply.

Source: By Australian Broadcasting Corporation