The Country 12/03/26: Chris Russell talks to Jamie Mackay

Our Australian correspondent talks about the effect the Middle East war is having on cropping and sheep farmers across the ditch. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
He's there. EUSI correspondent Chris Russell, and Chris, like the
rest of the world, we're all keeping a keen eye
on happenings in the Middle East. And that's not without ramifications.
For instance, or ossie cropping farmers and their busy season
is just coming up. Diesel and ureas shortages threaten the
planting season in April, which is just around the corner.

Speaker 2 (00:21):
Yeah, that's exactly right, and it's not I mean, the
price of diesel, of course, is a concern, especially when
the grain prices aren't that special of the moment orthough
they're likely to go up now, but it's just physically
getting hold of the diesel. There are a number of
the big suppliers of diesel. United Petroleum, for example, have
said they are not supplying any of their if you're

(00:41):
like outside people, they known independent contractors only supplying their
own suppliers now, and a number of others have cut
rationing to half the normal amounts. One farmer who normally
takes fifty five thousand liters of diesel a week during
the planning season is said that he's likely to get
less than half that, So you know, it's that's one

(01:03):
issue and the other issue, of course is urea. Jamie.

Speaker 3 (01:06):
We completely rely on imports.

Speaker 2 (01:09):
For urea and fertilizer generally, but particularly urea, and the
Middle East produces about forty five percent of the world's
urea exports. Now most of our urea is put on
in April May, when the wind crops are being sown.

Speaker 3 (01:24):
Urea prices have jumped. But then, in fact it's not
just about the jumping price again, it's the fact that
Australia could even run out of urea fertilizer before that
planting is well, certainly it's get started, but before it's
certainly before it's completed. So you know, there are a
number of things that farmers are saying and if we

(01:44):
don't get any planting in the ground, while there's nothing
we can do about that, then we don't get any harvest,
and then we really are talking food security issues, rationing,
all sorts of things that we haven't seen potentially since
the war. Now I'm not suggesting this is all necessarily
going to happen, because no government can sit by and
let all that happen. But some things are beyond the
government's control. And despite that, Anthony ALVENIASI announced yesterday the

(02:09):
Australia is not at war.

Speaker 2 (02:11):
We've supplied missiles and wedge tail aircraft early warning too,
and also personnel to go with those things to UAE.
But they're saying that's all for defense of people who
live in UAE.

Speaker 3 (02:25):
And it's not off for a war against Iran.

Speaker 2 (02:27):
Well a pretty fine line.

Speaker 1 (02:28):
I would have thought, Jamie, absolutely right, Let's move from
the cropping farmers to the sheep farmers. Twenty three percent
of your sheep meat exports are also under threat.

Speaker 2 (02:39):
Yes, and so this is also a significant cost. Fifteen
billion dollars worth of Australian trade goes to the Middle
East and a big part of that is sheep meat exports.
And you know they're saying, well, we're just not going
to get them in there. We can't get them through
both either the sewer's root or through the straits of Hamuz,

(03:04):
and everyone who is saying, well, we really should be
thinking about what we're going to do with all that
extra sheep meet because they are major purchases of our
sheep meets and we may not be going to go
to see that market even kick off lett alone grow
in the coming year.

Speaker 1 (03:22):
Yes, we do live in a troubled world. Chris Russell,
let's talk about your new leader of the National Party,
traditionally like your rural Party. The guy's name, I think
is Matt Canavan and he must have nothing else a
good sense of you humor, because he's calling for more
babies and better assie jokes.

Speaker 2 (03:42):
Yeah, well that's what he said, you know. Obviously he's
also looking beyond that as well. But he's really trying
to appeal to the people who have been attracted to
the one nation, very anti woke in policies, but which
they will never have to put in power because they
will never be in government. So it's easy to make

(04:03):
all sorts of statements and I saw you and I
do it around the dinner table every Saturday night. We're
never going to happily put it into power, whereas the
National Party are part of the coalition, and so he
is tried to counter that growth. Now there is a
big bar election coming up in May down in the
seat of Farah, which is down in that southwest agricultural

(04:23):
corner of New South Wales, which has been conservatively represented
for seventy five years and the last twelve I think
by the retiring former leader of the Liberal Party, Susan Lees.
So that's going to be contested, and all the predictions
are saying that one nation are going to win that seat.
So his is the last attempt by the National Party

(04:46):
or the coalition through the National Party to attract that
right and vote that right faction vote back to the
National Party, which has been their traditional home. So yes,
there's a little bit of humoustraone in there, but said
somewhat with a guide to the fact that these sort
of people out there really appreciate the fact we need
more true aussy babies and we need better Ozzie jokes.

Speaker 3 (05:08):
So I can't think you get better than Jakes.

Speaker 2 (05:10):
But see I'm only used to mine and yours, baby,
they're always well.

Speaker 1 (05:13):
That's the case of ABP anyone but Pauline. Anyhow, I've
got to go. Chris Russell, thanks for your time. We'll
catch you again next week, no problem.