Member for Pakes Mark Coulton (far right) with farmers at the national rally. Image: supplied

According to the Federal Member for Parkes Prime Minster Anthony Albanese has refused to attend the National Farmer Rally outside Parliament House, ignoring farmers who travelled from the Parkes electorate to plead with the Labor Government to stop its anti-farming agenda.

Mark Coulton MP said the Prime Minister had once again demonstrated complete contempt towards farmers and rural, regional and remote Australia.

“For the Prime Minister to ignore our farmers, many who have spent days on end driving to Canberra, shows that Labor doesn’t care about our agriculture industry,” Mr Coulton said.

“Our Prime Minister isn’t interested in helping or even listening to those who produce our nation’s food and fibre.

“Agriculture Minister Julie Collins didn’t attend the rally either, which is incredibly disappointing given she has only just been appointed as Agriculture Minister.

“The Labor Government continues to decimate the industry and the anger and frustration being felt by farmers is sadly understandable. All our farmers want is a fair go and to continue feeding and clothing the country.”

Mr Coulton said the National Farmer Rally organisers were calling for sensible changes including scrapping the truckie tax, scrapping new taxes for biosecurity and superannuation, scrapping water buybacks in the Murray-Darling Basin and protecting the Great Artesian Basin, scrapping unnecessary red tape from emissions reporting, known as Scope 3, and scrapping reckless renewables which will rip up prime agricultural land, protecting the 88-day backpacker visa, as well as overturning the decision to ban live sheep exports by sea.

“These requests are common sense solutions and without changes, Labor will make farming unviable,” Mr Coulton said.

“The National Farmer Rally is the biggest in a generation – it has been more than 40 years since farmers have had to march on Parliament House because a federal government has made them feel so aggrieved.

“The Nationals proudly support those attending the rally. We will always stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our farmers and will continue to fight for farming and the future of regional, rural and remote Australia.”