Opposition Leader Tony Abbott spent part of the week in the lead-up to his Federal Budget Reply Speech on Thursday, May 10, visiting Port Macquarie and the Hastings.
A frequent keen competitor in our Ironman competition, the Opposition Leader was a mere bystander this year, with intense budgetary preparations instead on his agenda.
With the government’s new carbon tax the central feature of Tuesday’s 2012 Budget, Mr Abbott was intent on explaining the Coalition’s stand on the controversial measure.
Taking the message on the road, he called in for a visit and tour of the Ricardoes Tomato and Strawberry farm at Blackmans Point. He repeated his call for the government to withdraw the “toxic tax”, which he said would hurt tens of thousands of Australian businesses.
For his part, Ricardoes co-owner Anthony Sarks said a range of government costs strangled small business, including costs for compliance and for energy.
Mr Sarks showed Mr Abbott some of the farm’s environmentally sound practices, including its rainwater re-use system and its stockpile of discarded macadamia nut shells, burned for fuel instead of other less efficient alternatives.
Ricardoes’ staff of 25 maximises technology to minimise the use of chemicals and uses bio-organisms to combat insect pests.
The farm is a popular drawcard for visiting government authorities. The current Environment Minister, Tony Burke, said he was greatly impressed with the farm’s operation when he visited in his former role as Agriculture Minister.
