The passing of the Agriculture and Veterinary Chemicals Bill in the House of Representatives last week was another blow for farmers already struggling with a high Australian dollar, drought and higher energy costs, Queensland Senator Ron Boswell said today.

“The Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Bill implements a new re-registration system which will raise the cost of chemical registration and will make the registration of some chemicals uneconomic.

Costs imposed on Australian business by the Labor Government are killing jobs and must go, Queensland Senator Ron Boswell said today.

He was responding to the announcement from Ford Australia that it will cease production in Australia from October 2016.

Queensland Senator Ron Boswell has called on Environment Minister Tony Burke to detail the costs of a Labor Government “propaganda film” about its looming marine parks.

“At the same time as Treasurer Wayne Swan is likely to announce a huge multi-billion-dollar deficit in the Budget, Tony Burke has launched a completely unnecessary propaganda video,” Senator Boswell said.

I RISE to speak on a matter of grave importance – the need to get rid of the worst government in Australia in the past 40 years ...but, first, allow me to make some observations.

I want to thank John Howard and John Anderson. It is a privilege to have them here, and it was a pleasure to serve with them in what I believe was one of the very best governments ever in Australia’s history.

Thank-you everyone for coming along tonight. I know some of you have travelled a very long way to be here and I really appreciate it. I feel honoured by the presence of every one of you here tonight.