[Greens-Media] MEDIA RELEASE - SENATOR CHRISTINE MILNE - Grocery code of conduct: What's a Coalition Minister's word worth?

[Willis, Katrina (Sen C. Milne)]

MEDIA RELEASE

Tuesday, 12 September 2006

Grocery code of conduct: What's a Coalition Minister's word worth?

The federal coalition's failure to honour its 2004 election pledge to
introduce a mandatory code of conduct for the grocery sector will have
voters wondering just what is the worth of a minister's word, the
Australian Greens said today.

"Former coalition deputy prime minister, John Anderson, promised a
mandatory code of conduct would be introduced in the first 100 days of a
re-elected government, in a bid to play political catch up," Greens
Senator Tasmania, Christine Milne said in Canberra.

"Why didn't Mr Anderson use his influence to make sure the government
honoured this pledge to Australia's fruit and vegetable growers?

"In the face of the government's failure to introduce the mandatory code
and the plan to now pursue a voluntary code, it is difficult to see the
pre-election pledge as anything more than a cynical pitch for votes.

"Responsibility for dealing with this issue has now been passed to
Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane. He needs to explain why the government
has made no headway on the matter for two years and why the government
prefers to dishonour its election pledge than to offend big retail
businesses.

"This is the latest in a growing list of examples of the Howard
government letting down growers and rural communities, coming after
failing to deliver on food labelling, failing to seriously address
climate change and drought, and pursuing trade policies that leave
Australian growers exposed to unfair competition."

Contact: Katrina Willis 03 6234 4566 or 0437 587 562


Katrina Willis
Adviser
Senator Christine Milne
Phone 03 6234 4566
Fax 03 6234 2144
Mobile 0437 587 562
www.christinemilne.org.au