Our Man On The Land!

Tweet

Spring is usually the time we look forward to a glimpse of new life and a promise of what the year ahead holds for all of us. Unfortunatly this spring holds more anguish with the horse influenza crippeling the spring carnaval horse racing arround the country. Heartbreaking it is to see our finest horses sick and dying with a disease that should have never been allowed to escape our quarantine facilaty, Our horsebreeders and trainers are spending thousands upon thousands of dollars curing our magestic animals, accomadation for themselves, their trainers and their animals that were stuck over the border when the state quarantine laws came into effect. Many of these unfortunate people will lose everything and be sent to the wall. For some of them hope is at hand with small relief given by the government to ease their situation.(and to ease their guilty conciance over the leak in quarentine no doubt). Such a furor and heartfelt pleas have been made of the whole influenza outbreak and for the racing industry and the horses, their owners and trainers I am TRULY SORRY. Forgotten is the drought exept we can no longer go outside and turn on the tap and water our thirsty gardens. Forgotten are the primary producers facing yet another heartbreaking year, I watch my neighbour walking down their fruit block, something they have worked for the past 30 years, with a chainsaw in their hand, with a pull of the cord the chainsaw roars into life and by day's end another couple of acres of prime producing vines are laid to die, cut off at the butt! Another blockie has sold what little water he has to pay his bills and keep the family home, "At least for another night". The unemployment lines are just a little bigger and longer with no hope of a reprieve in sight. Winery's announce they have made a billion dollars profit last season, then turn to their growers and only offer "half" of what their crops cost to produce, and that is the winery's that honour their own contracts to growers, the fruit unwanted is left to rot on the vines, "Another year's wages GONE!"Even the government wants to have their turn at "Kick the Man On The Land" and continuasly allow foren produce to swamp our markets with cheap infiriour products pushing our farmers further to the wall! Will no one speak up for our farmers? Will the government put togeather a "Decent" rescue package? Will no one do anything untill there is no longer Australian Produce on our supermarket shelves, will we be happy buying American Beef? or Saudi Arabian Mutton? ormaybe Asian Poultry? How about chernoble vegatables?? Not so funny?? Only a couple of months ago the government wanted to put a toxic waste dump in our food bowl! It was only with a very costly and long hard fight by everone in our surrounding communities that put a stop to it! You may only have one voice in a sea of millions, but one voice can become two then three or four! With enough voices those we put into power may have no choice but to listen! So the next time you are in a supermarket filling your trolly with food, give a thaught to our Man On The Land! Just a thaught...... Because they may not be there much longer!!