Barnaby, the relaxation of import restrictions on beef from countries with Mad Cow Disease is an absolute joke and the Minister responsible for this short sighted decision should be sacked. This has the potential to destroy our beef industry and the Government should be looking into ways to assist our OWN primary producers achieve a more positive, long-term outcome - not prop up other heavily subsidised producers in other countries. We are a dumping ground for many inferior products now - what's next? Please fight this decision - this is another nail in the coffin and we only have to look at the Meatworks situation in Qld now... How many more industries need to be destroyed by inappropriate Government decisions and pandering to foreign interests, before we say enough is enough?

Aha! I know what the real agenda of this one is. There I was busily compiling a list of skulduggerous strategies which could be used to wipe out the livestock industries in Australia, and now the best one has been dumped in all our laps!

Under the Peter Beattie Labor government which preceded Anna Bligh's, all Queenslanders received a health package containing dietary advice etc in the mail. I purposely kept the page which is a picture of the food plate.

It's top heavy with carbohydrates, very well supplied with fruit and vegetables, but in the calcium and animal food departments it's excessively deficient.

You could only have 2 servings of calcium rich foods (dairy products) per day, certainly insufficient for growing children, and for the prevention of osteoporosis (thinning of bones).

Now if you think that's bad, consider the animal protein section, remembering that you can only have ONE ITEM for the whole day:

2 eggs
1 handful of nuts
1 small piece of fish, poultry or red meat

This is the kind of diet that destructive cults have their members on, to keep them placid and compliant!

Fats and oils were completely absent from the plate. This is probably because they help the body to produce hormones and create the necessary aggression to defend one's territory.

You can wipe out the livestock industries over time by:

1. Public education which tells us animal products are unhealthy
2. Teach people that an animal has the same status as a human being
3. Cut supply (stop farmers from using all of their land)
4. Push up prices (reduced supply = increased demand)
5. Show graphic examples of cruelty to animals on the TV
6. Import meat that could kill people (Don't you love it?)

Now let us look at the new layout of my local supermarket.

Instead of only one area with bread, now there are two, and the variety has increased enormously. The range of nuts available has increased out of sight, and is available in 2 locations also.

Other items now available in increasing amounts and places within the store are dried lentils and canned lentils/beans of every description.

The fresh fruit and vegetable section has become massive and, while there is still an excellent supply of dairy products, the meat section has not grown at all, and I think the amount of fish available has shrunken markedly.

Now I'm looking at location. If someone is a vegetarian, they can dodge the Meat Section altogether because it is now located in the very back corner of the store. Most visible is the chicken, and there is now a huge display of something (non-meat, sometimes it's juice) at the open end of the Meat Section, possibly to disguise its presence.

Yes, you have to hand it to the Vegans and the Greenies. I never thought they would use the thought of contracting a terminal disease from eating red meat to turn us all into rabbits.

This brings me to my final point about the meat supply. There is no need at all for Australia to be importing meat from ANYWHERE. To my knowledge, we export a lot of red meat, sometimes on the hoof.

I am strongly AGAINST the imports of meat that could more than likely be contaminated with BSE! It's been said that 'We don’t have it, we’re healthy, we’re green and we want to stay that way'. I don't think this disease is being taken seriously. The way this case is being handled, it is like comparing BSE to a common cold. That's not very wise thinking about a disease that ultimately degenerates physical and mental activity, before resulting in death. It seems like Simon Crean doesn't take the country he is meant to be running seriously.
Imagine the impact on all businesses who sell this meat. Sales will drop dramatically because people will be too afraid to eat meat, McDonalds' (for example) reputation will suffer because cheeseburgers are their main product, a lot of people will have their health suffer because if they are too afraid to eat meat, where will they get their iron? Tablets? Well I don't think that is right, getting iron from tablets when it should be from Australian meat!
This is wrong, the Labour party should be ashamed, and if this goes ahead it's going to be something that they will regret!

Barnaby,what more is this Government going to do to destroy our country? To even contemplate importing beef from countries known to have Mad Cow's Disease when we have a completely clean primary beef industry on our own shores, is not only a disgrace, but a total sell-out of all things Australian. Our primary producers have worked long and hard, and against all odds to provide us with a quality beef not found elsewhere. Please fight this with all your might - for theirs is a decision that will cripple our meat industry.

Sorry people, I forgot No. 7 that the government still has up its sleeve for later on. That's the Cattle Burping and Flatulence Tax, and possibly an extra amount which could be passed off as the Ground Pounding and Cowpat Tax.

In the State parliament yesterday, they were talking about a Traffic Congestion Tax, no doubt designed to further impoverish the people and make them get rid of their cars.

I'm now wondering if there could be a tie-in with the 700 new settler arrivals who are listed as Ungrouped in the Australian migrant intake for 2008/2009.

Yesterday there was a television report in which a scientist had examined a sample of hair, which he said didn't come from a human being or any kind of animal.

I have been asked to try to identify the goal of an Australian government that would sign agreements and declarations which would sell us out and sell us off.

It is my belief that those who currently rule Planet Earth have a goal to bring every country down to the status of peasants, with nothing decent to eat, and also reduce the population by fair means or foul.

I know this is going to sound crazy, but maybe once the corporations have taken over the rural industries, the proceeds might be beamed up, including cattle on the hoof.

As intelligent people, we must examine every possible option until we discover what is really going on and why.

Leaders run from BSE betrayal

http://sl.farmonline.com.au/blogs/canberra-comment/leaders-run-from-bse-betrayal/1748365.aspx?src=rss
-----------------------
No BSE risk assessment on beef imports

http://nqr.farmonline.com.au/news/nationalrural/livestock/news/no-bse-risk-assessment-on-beef-imports/1747326.aspx?src=rss
--------------------------------
Inquiry told of mad cow concerns

http://www.countryman.com.au/article/2816.html
------------------------------------------
Beef import decision 'risks Aussie jobs'

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/beef-import-decision-risks-aussie-jobs-20100205-nhiw.html
---------------------------
AUSTRALIAN RED CROSS BLOOD SERVICE
http://www.donateblood.com.au/page.aspx?IDDataTreeMenu=88

I can’t give blood as I lived in the United Kingdom for six months during the period 1980-1996. When will a test for vCJD be developed?


Although the number of cases of vCJD (the human form of 'mad cow disease') in the UK is declining, in the absence of a screening test, the full extent of exposure is not known.

The Australian Red Cross Blood Service is monitoring progress in the development of a reliable blood screening test for vCJD. Should this deferral policy be changed for any reason, please be assured that this information will be disseminated widely. For more information click here.
-------------------
Warning...may contain traces of Mad Cow.....

http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=5&ved=0CBkQFjAE&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tai.org.au%2Ffile.php%3Ffile%3D%2Fmedia_releases%2FMay%2520contain%2520traces%2520of%2520mad%2520cow.pdf&rct=j&q=%22mad+cow%22+risks+-ABC&ei=eb99S5W6I4_i7AOB6bnnCw&usg=AFQjCNH-oIA7ShbIJlDwO9ShPt1iTUuguA&sig2=Zw4h7aPjTmOmJijvTkbk3A
---------------

Please stop the imprtation of beef into Australia.
Why are we imprting any foods?
I know it's about the Free Trade Agreement, but is there no way we can turn back from this nonsense?
Yours truely,
Janice

I wont buy overseas meat if I can help it. We need to keep mad cow desease out at all costs, and I think Australia should be able to produce enough for home consumption, our farmers are already getting the short straw, this will just break it. Maybe forever.

A petition has been launched by Ausbuy aimed at stopping mad cow beef imports for those wishing to take action.

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/stop-bse-beef-imports.html

Hi Barnaby, I just think that this government has lost its marbles, so much so that I am disgustted to call myself Australian, this country is going down the gurgler so fast, that it is going to be hard to stop. The latest issue with this beef import, why do we need it. It is ridiculous, the minister doesn't know what he is doing, was he drunk or something at the time when he decided to implement this idea, hopefully this government will be out of office at the next election, is there any way of reversing this if the Liberal/National party are able to gain office.
There is some sort of meeting to be put on at the UNE at Armidale, which will be put on tomorrow - Saturday 27th February, which I would like to go along to as a concerned beef consumer.

Hi Barnaby,
I just wanted to say thanks for your ethics and your comon sense. Please keep the presure on this very poor Government. It is making monumental stuff ups which we can no longer tolerate.

I will be honest, I voted for this government, yeah sometimes we make mistakes.

I was one of the people that went to hear you speak at Ambrosia restaurat at Lansvale in Sydney. I owned the large meat store accross the road. I want to know what or who is driving the current stupid practice of letting countries with Mad Cows disease sell into our clean environment?

Is it the US trying to pull us back to the field world wide so that it is a level although lower stand of play, then they can out price us? Or what I think is more the case that Woolies and Coles have lobbied this Government to make the change?

I can't see the need to change, why has it been rushed through?

I have put signs up in my outlet explaining why I will not stock this product, but am I being left out like a shag on a rock? Can we ask big business who is going to support this current stupid practice, can you raise it in parliment and ask the big two if they plan to buy this product.

I am more than happy to speak to you further and if I can be of any help just let me know.


Kind Regards
Chris Flahey
Director
Freshy's Meats

PS Where is John Kerr when you need him?????

I agree with Lorikeet, when you think that the nutritionists are saying that we should be eating more than what the Queensland Government must think we should be eating, here in NSW I have seen an add, I don't know if it was on the TV or in our local paper, or where it was and how we need to consume fruit and vegys as well as wholegrains, nuts - which have vitamins and antioxidants along with seeds, legumes, meat, fish, low fat dairy and last of all on the list was that of junk food - to be eaten in moderation of course, our stupid governments at the moment don't know what they are talking about or doing and to think that this Tony Burke, did this on his lonesome with out any consultation with the industry, or people in the know, do these people live on another planet or have they been drinking too much and are drunk at the time when they come uo with these ridiculous ideas and schemes.

Leaders run from BSE betrayal

http://sl.farmonline.com.au/blogs/canberra-comment/leaders-run-from-bse-betrayal/1748365.aspx?src=rss
-----------------------
No BSE risk assessment on beef imports

http://nqr.farmonline.com.au/news/nationalrural/livestock/news/no-bse-risk-assessment-on-beef-imports/1747326.aspx?src=rss
--------------------------------
Inquiry told of mad cow concerns

http://www.countryman.com.au/article/2816.html
------------------------------------------
Beef import decision 'risks Aussie jobs'

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/beef-import-decision-risks-aussie-jobs-20100205-nhiw.html
---------------------------
AUSTRALIAN RED CROSS BLOOD SERVICE
http://www.donateblood.com.au/page.aspx?IDDataTreeMenu=88

I can’t give blood as I lived in the United Kingdom for six months during the period 1980-1996. When will a test for vCJD be developed?


Although the number of cases of vCJD (the human form of 'mad cow disease') in the UK is declining, in the absence of a screening test, the full extent of exposure is not known.

The Australian Red Cross Blood Service is monitoring progress in the development of a reliable blood screening test for vCJD. Should this deferral policy be changed for any reason, please be assured that this information will be disseminated widely. For more information click here.
-------------------
Warning...may contain traces of Mad Cow.....

http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=5&ved=0CBkQFjAE&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tai.org.au%2Ffile.php%3Ffile%3D%2Fmedia_releases%2FMay%2520contain%2520traces%2520of%2520mad%2520cow.pdf&rct=j&q=%22mad+cow%22+risks+-ABC&ei=eb99S5W6I4_i7AOB6bnnCw&usg=AFQjCNH-oIA7ShbIJlDwO9ShPt1iTUuguA&sig2=Zw4h7aPjTmOmJijvTkbk3A
---------------

one wonders what will be next - importation of lamb, if that happened, I would hope that it would only come from New Zealand - they would not have let this fiasco happen, because they have a clean, green image, which we have now lost, I am so disgusted with this stupid country, that I would like to migrate to New Zealand, I always thought that if Rudd got in as PM, I wanted to move out, if it wasn't for the fact that I like living where I do - Northern New England area of NSW, I would leave this country.

Barnaby, I am so concerned about the government flooding us with meat from overseas countries where madcow disease has been found. I for one won't be buying meat any more if/when this happens. I have witnessed a person being effected by madcow disease, and it is a shocking thing. What can we do to block this insane idea from happening. We have the best meat in the world here. It is outrageous to jeopardise our health and wellbeing like this, just for a few extra dollars. No way !!

Can you please advise where we are presently at regarding the mad cow disease?
Is it too late to stop this ridiculous Labour govt. from once again making a huge mistake at big cost to the health of the Australian people?

Is there any way in which the public can help?

I am so angry at just how they dream up thses things at such a big cost to the public and Kevin Rudd just says he is standing by them no mattere what they do. Lesley

its the free market system that you and your lib mates are always on about

except that u only want it one way.

again protectionist policies without substance maybe we should close all our export markets and become a soilely sufficient country. Australia for Australia no import migrtantsd either from asia or europe!1

no imports of machnary etc, no exports either

what a utopian society that would be.

If the truth is known, Australia produces such a large amount of beef that the best of it is sold on the export market. I know China, Japan and the Middle East are among our customers.

To my knowledge, the Northern Territory with its lush green grass produces huge herds of cattle, which are then sold to Indonesia for fattening using grain.

Muslims own a sizeable chunk of the cattle and sheep market in this country. It is they who want to export meat on the hoof, to be butchered according to their cultural requirements, thereby doing our abattoir workers out of jobs.

Interestingly enough, the growing of lentils was featured on "Landline" on Sunday 28 February. Unfortunately the big corporations are interested in getting their big greedy mitts into that as well, so they can take over.

The farmer interviewed said we export most of the lentils grown here to the Middle East and Asia. He said more people would eat lentils if good recipes were made available.

No doubt the government would like to increase our lentil intake so they can charge us additional Toilet & Flatulence Taxes.

Getting back to the importation of suspect meat, the government can only be doing this to veganise us more quickly.

When the Climate Smart Technician came to my home, he said I should get rid of my deep freezer. Thank goodness I kept it, because now I have a plentiful supply of Australian meat that will last a few months.

When I first suggested to the lady I know in the Meat Dept at Woolworths that Vegans and Greens would put her out of a job, she said she was not too worried, because such a plan would result in a huge backlash from customers. But I bet she has grown a few new grey hairs since the government decided to feed us potentially fatal meat.

As for Janice Mitchell's question: "Why are we importing any foods?" I think there are a number of answers.

Sometimes we need to import foods when our crops have been decimated by drought, cyclones or hail storms. Sometimes we import fruits at certain times of the year when there aren't enough available here e.g. cherries.

Sometimes we import various foods simply to sell our farmers out and empower others e.g. the plan to import bananas from The Philippines, probably so their various plant diseases and viruses can ruin our own plantations permanently.

Ever wondered why various Australian governments haven't declared open season on bats and possums? This is so they can wipe out our orchards and pass fatal Hendra virus onto humans, while also ramping up imports from other countries.

Hell, why protect the interests of Australian farmers and citizens, when you can wipe out a thousand or 3?

It is disgusting Australia, a country which has guarded its beef industry for years, is now importing beef. We have beef producers in Australia producing healthy, disease free meat that Australian can eat without fear of becoming ill.

I had a friend in Belgium who died in a very gross manner only 4 years ago from Mad Cow Disease. If Mr Rudd and Tony Burke were present in the hospital room during the last month before my friend died, they would never permit any beef to be imported into Australia.

Will the bill in both chambers stop the imports of beef???.If so for how long, or like the Carbon E.T. scheme will Rudd try it on again? Regards David.

Chris Flahey:

Once I had read your comments, I realised that I had failed to mention another government agenda which might be associated with the importation of Mad Cow meat.

It is my contention that Woolworths and Coles have probably done a deal with the government so that small traders such as yourself will only be supplied with the suspect meat that no one wants to eat - thereby wiping out competition.

For decades, governments have allowed huge corporations to wipe out local butchers, green grocers, chemists, corner stores, taverns and smaller hardware outlets, to name but a few. A lot of butchers have had to combine forces into larger outlets in order to compete.

Perhaps there is also a government/corporate agenda to flog Mad Cow meat to the Supa IGA, which is a wholly Australian owned company.

If there's the slightest opportunity to sell Australian businesses out, the government is quite happy, even eager, to take it.

I can remember farmers dumping truckloads of oranges on the steps of Parliament House about 30 years ago, when the government decided to import oranges from the USA and pork from Canada.

The only option Australian citizens have is to give all Australian parliaments a good shakeup at future elections; to get rid of all the communists, traitors and treasonists whose parties have signed Treaties and Declarations that need tearing up and throwing onto a bonfire.

Rest assured that I have as of today stopped buying any beef product whatsoever.

I will not trust a supermarket, fast food store or even a butcher that claims not to sell tainted meat.

Sorry to those who have lost my business, but it's not my fault.

100% beef ban in my house started today!

Bob:

I think you might do better to fill your freezer immediately, and then start really rattling some chains in the Senate.

Otherwise the corporations, the Vegans and the Greenies will have won the biggest round in the battle.

Unfortunately I think the days when workers from the Maritime Unions simply refused to unload anything directly damaging to our people or the economy are gone. Maybe we could try to get them moving in that direction again.

My father was one of those men, and a staunch Labor supporter. If he knew what was happening now, I think he and his mates would arise from their graves and blow Rudd, Bligh and plenty of other politicians to kingdom come.

Import of beef should not be necessary at all, even without any disease threat, no matter how "slight" the change of disease being transferred.

This government should be fed a mad cow pie.

My concern is as much for the protection and support for our beef producers as with the health concerns. Beef production will go the same way as the pork production if it is not stopped. Production of food in this country should be a priority.

its all about free enterprise!!

a lib country policy

free markets no protectionism unless it affect our position!! eh?

Meryll Wilkinson:

The production of food certainly is a huge priority in this country ... only it isn't prioritised for Australian consumption ... or for the profit of anyone other than huge corporations.

People's fear of eating diseased meat will help put a death knell on our farmers, so the corporations can take over the properties they will have to vacate, and very cheaply at that.

Last year I saw the CEO of the CSIRO do the National Press Club address. Despite waxing on about climate change and drought affecting our nation, she said we could easily ramp up food production to feed 60 million people. She said the government would export most of the food.

Then only last weekend a guy on a political program said we were already growing enough food for 60 million.

Rob:

Your idea of Australia becoming a purely self-sufficient nation certainly has merit.

But I think if we tried to do that, the corporations (banks in particular) would call in foreign debt (both public and private) which we might not be able to afford to repay.

People might lose their homes and life savings.

Since aged care is seen by The Macquarie Group as a global cow from which to milk profits, they might throw our frail elderly citizens out of their aged care centres, directly onto the streets.

It isn't only the farmers' teats they are squeezing the life blood out of!

This meat substitute named Quorn, which is made from a fungus, is now available in supermarkets.

Quorn appears to be the brand name on a number of frozen foods including a vegetarian lasagne.

You will find it advertised at the bottom of Page 18 in this week's Woolworths catalogue.

I can just imagine it now: "What's for dinner, Mum?"

Answer: "Fungus lasagne."