Prime Minster Anthony Albanese has refused to attend the National Farmer Rally outside Parliament House, ignoring hundreds of farmers who travelled from all over Australia to plead with the Labor Government to stop its anti-farming agenda.

Leader of The Nationals David Littleproud said the Prime Minister had once again demonstrated complete contempt towards farmers and rural, regional and remote Australia.

“For the Prime Minister to ignore hundreds of farmers, many who have spent days on end driving to Canberra from other states, shows that Labor doesn’t care about our agriculture industry,” Mr Littleproud said.

“Our Prime Minister isn’t interested in helping or even listening to those who produce our nation’s food and fibre. Agriculture Minister Julie Collins didn’t attend the rally either, which is incredibly disappointing given she has only just been appointed as Agriculture Minister. The Labor Government continues to decimate the industry and the anger and frustration being felt by farmers is sadly understandable. All our farmers want is a fair go and to continue feeding the country.”

Mr Littleproud pointed out the National Farmer Rally organisers were calling for sensible changes including scrapping the diesel fuel rebate, scrapping new taxes for biosecurity and superannuation, scrapping water buybacks in the Murray-Darling Basin and protecting the Great Artesian Basin, scrapping unnecessary red tape from emissions reporting, known as Scope 3, and scrapping reckless renewables which will rip up prime agricultural land, protecting the 88-day backpacker visa, as well as overturning the decision to ban live sheep exports by sea.

“These requests are common sense solutions and without changes, Labor will make farming unviable. The National Farmer Rally is the biggest in a generation – it has been more than 40 years since farmers have had to march on Parliament House because a federal government has made them feel so aggrieved.

“The Nationals proudly support those attending the rally today. We will always stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our farmers and will continue to fight for farming and the future of regional, rural and remote Australia.”