The release of individual commodity biosecurity levy calculations after public submissions to the Senate inquiry into the legislation had closed has revealed grain producers will be the hardest hit by the proposed tax.
Countryman spoke to Grain Producers Australia chair Barry Large, who said the flawed policy, failure to consult appropriately and poor response to overwhelmingly negative feedback had growers unable to trust its intention.
"This is not about how much the levy rates are per kilogram of farm produce - it's all about the principle of this policy and real failures to get it right and win any support," he said.
"These policy design failures are why all Lower House MPs, except Labor, stood up and did what's right and voted against the bills that are trying to implement a new tax on farmers."
GPA hit back in a statement following the release of the figures, outlining that Australian grain producers are being forced to pay 10 times more than the existing biosecurity levies that they already contribute towards emergency responses and other proactive initiatives, investments and partnerships.
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