Democracy Or Corruption In The MLA
AUSTRALIA - ABA Chairman Brad Bellinger said today, At the MLA's Nov 22 AGM ordinary MLA members will have a hollow vote on the appointment of only three candidates for three vacant MLA Director positions.
27 November 2007
2 minute read
"Should Mr Wyld be approved by the MLA members he may well go onto be the Chairman of MLA ' a frightening scenario for Australia's Meat Industry."
Mr John Wyld.
The fortunate three candidates were 'pre selected' from a large number of applicants many of whom had better qualifications. The ABA believes the MLA's 'pre selection" procedure is too restrictive and inbred. It is also unduly influenced by other undemocratic bodies within the Red Meat Industry 'Closed Club'.
The Club consists of partially tax payer funded Peak Councils. This is in stark contrast to last week's Australian Wool Innovation election that witnessed director's being elected that opposed the cessation of mulesing by 2010, despite the AWI's Chairman Ian McLachlan's opposition to their appointments, it was democracy in action.
Mr Bellinger continued, 'So in 'house is the Red Meat Industry structure that this time the MLA have put forward one of the very architects of the closed shop structure - Mr John Wyld'.
Mr Wyld was also the instigator of the introduction of NLIS, and his family has commercial interests in NLIS equipment and was on the Committee which recommended the latest levy rise.
'Should Mr Wyld be approved by the MLA members he may well go onto be the Chairman of MLA ' a frightening scenario for Australia's Meat Industry,' Mr Bellinger said.
In 2002, the ABA had a Senate Select Committee recommend six changes to make to the MLA more accountable. Since then all Ministers of Agriculture have rejected all six.
The undemocratic structure of the Red Meat Industry is a major blight against the Federal Government. In their first term of office they re-structured the Red Meat Industry, which they said would give producers more control of their own industry.
'After eleven years, the reality is the opposite of what the Government set out to achieve. We now have an over-regulated production system with our compulsory beef levy tax being controlled by corporates and large processors via votes generated through their feedlot interests. A very inequitable situation arises for the average producer when the tax payer funded Peak Councils side with the big end of town to perpetuate a 'Closed Club' culture within the Red Meat Industry', Mr Bellinger concluded.
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