He’s also sceptical about the forecast $12 to 17 billion revenue hole that’s been broadly discussed leading up to Tuesday’s announcement, given the fuss made over federal Treasurer Wayne Swan’s budget surplus projections in last year’s budget.
“Do you really think $12 billion is going to be the real figure for the government’s revenue shortfall?” Mr Cobb said.
“It will be a heck of a lot bigger than that - but if that’s the final number they’ll have fudged the figures anyhow.
“Labor always spends money on assumptions that never come true.
“We’ll be very, very cynical about their income figures when the budget is actually announced however we are yet to see the numbers.”
Mr Cobb said the budget needed to fund the Agriculture Department adequately to support agriculture “not impede it”.
He said agricultural needs better connection with the Trade Ministry to achieve outcomes on lingering Free Trade Agreements with Korea, China and Japan to support industry viability.
Mr Cobb said Australia was losing ground rapidly to US beef exporters in the Korean market with an unresolved FTA that’s created a 5.5 per cent price differential due to hit 8pc by January 1 next year.
He said dairy exports to China are also falling well behind NZ.
“The Trade Department has to be seen as working with agriculture and getting outcomes that support the industry’s profitability,” he said.
The National Farmers Federation (NFF) wants to reprioritise agriculture on the national political agenda, but isn’t raising expectations of any new money in this year’s budget, due the foreshadowed revenue hole.
NFF CEO Matt Linnegar anticipates this year’s budget will be similar to last year when the government’s quest for a budget surplus saw industry and lobby groups hold little hope of any new money for agricultural programs.
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