Pauline Hanson angry after Labor grants China Qld Health milk contract over local dairies
MEDIA RELEASE
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson is demanding Queensland’s Labor Government overturn its decision to grant a major hospital milk contract to two questionable overseas suppliers while ignoring award-winning local firm Maleny Dairies.
Senator Hanson is ropeable that such a major contract has gone overseas, despite the Queensland Government spruiking a “buy locally” initiative for much of 2019.
“This is absolute hypocrisy from Premier Palaszczuk, who will happily send taxpayer funds to multinationals Lactalis and Lions, who pay negligible tax in Australia, when we have one of the best milk providers in the nation right here in south east Queensland,” Senator Hanson said.
“Queensland Labor’s decision is bordering on treasonous. It’s beyond belief. Labor is behaving like a government that doesn’t care about Queensland or have the best interests of Queenslanders at heart. Labor would rather fund jobs in France and China.
“Maleny Dairies is ready and able to fulfil the contract of up to 15,000 litres for local hospitals; it is a solid award-winning Queensland company that has created jobs and supports locals by buying directly from farmers around the state’s south east.
“Bizarrely, Queensland Health asked Maleny Dairies to make sure they lodged a tender, even though they made it clear they couldn’t compete on price, and here they are losing out to the overseas companies.
“I’m calling on the Labor Government to do the right thing, overturn the hospital milk contract and give it instead to a local provider; come on Premier, follow your own promotions, support local jobs, and put Queensland businesses first.”
The milk contract involved providing between 11,000 and 15,000 litres of milk products each week to Prince Charles Hospital, Royal Brisbane Hospital, Gympie Hospital, and a number of smaller hospitals.
Lions was recently purchased by Chinese company Mengniu Dairy, which is part-owned by the Chinese Government. From 2013 to 2017, Lions earned $12.5billion in Australia and paid just $186m in tax, equal to a tax rate of 1.48%. Meantime, French company Lactalis (formerly Parmalat), earned $6.4billion in Australia from 2013-2017, and paid just $43million in tax, or 0.67% tax.
Mengniu was also involved in the melamine scandal in 2008, in which melamine was added to baby formula in China to falsely increase the protein content of the product. Six babies died as a result and more than 50,000 babies were hospitalised.
Lactalis was accused last year of trying to hurry Australian farmers to sign milk supply contracts that payed them less than the cost of production, in the hope of circumventing the new Mandatory Dairy Code of Conduct that came into force on January 1.
“Lactalis is not a reputable company in my view, which is further reason to reverse this decision and look for a local company,” Senator Hanson said.
“Perhaps Maleny Dairies missed out because it’s located in blue ribbon territory and not in a Labor-held seat. If the company was located in Inala, I suspect the outcome might have been different.
“Queensland’s dairy industry continues to struggle – we have one farmer leaving the industry each week – and decisions like this milk contract suggests Labor is happy to let that happen.
“This whole thing has the stench of political manoeuvring, they aren’t making decisions in the best interests of Queensland.
“Labor is just as bad as the Liberals and their pork barrelling of sports funds prior to the federal election.
“I’d like to know what are the benefits for Queensland by giving this milk contract to overseas companies.
END
Keep up to date with Senator Hanson by following her on Facebook and Twitter!
