No Enticements Offered N.Z. Farmers To Go To Australia

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31116, 20 July 1966, Page 8

No Enticements Offered N.Z. Farmers To Go To Australia

(Special Crspdt. N.Z.P.A.) SYDNEY, July 19.

Australian fanning and immigration authorities said they had no knowledge of a bid to lure New Zealand fanners across the Tasman by offering better incentives and conditions.

Spokesmen for fanning organisations said they were sceptical of claims that Australian farmers had better conditions than their New Zealand counterparts.

They had been asked to comment on remarks made at a meeting of the provincial executive of Waikato Federated Farmers. The president, Mr M. G. Hewitt, told members that many New Zealand farmers were thinking of selling out and moving to Australia. He said there were some advantages and better conditions available to farmers in Australia. Mr A. S. Norquay, secretary of the National Farmers’ Union, said in Sydney: “I would be surprised if there was any positive programme

to lure New Zealand farmers over here. I think conditions in the two countries would be more likely to lure people the other way” Mr Norquay referred to the Australia-New Zealand limited free trade agreement which came into force this year, and said; “New Zealand farmers have better access to the Australian market. They would appear to be better off now than they were this time last year.” The president of the Primary Producers’ Union of New South Wales, Mr H. A. Stone, noted that Waikato was primarily a dairying area, and said: "I am sceptical of claims that conditions are better here for the dairying industry.

“New Zealand has an equable climate, high productivity, and you don’t suffer from droughts and bush fires as we do. There is much greater stability in dairying in New Zealand,” he said. Mr Stone said his union was associated with the Australian Dairy Farmers Federationand

he had no knowledge of any efforts being made anywhere in Australia to entice New Zealand farmers over here. In Melbourne, Mr F. M. Harding, assistant secretary of the Victorian Dairy Farmer’s Association, said: “I have not heard of such a move in the industry.” He said that Victoria, which produced 50 per cent of Australia’s butter, was the country’s most efficient dairying State. “I am sure that if New Zealand farmers were coming here they would make inquiries in our State. I can’t think which other State they would go to,” he said. Western Australia, which has a land settlement programme aimed at expanding its primary production, was suggested by one farmer’s spokesman as a State likely to be interested in attracting New Zealanders. But this was denied by a Western Australian Government spokesman in Sydney, who said: “We get hundreds of applications for this land in Australia and we are not seeking overseas farmers.” A Federal immigration department spokesman said “We are not making approaches to workers of any kind in New Zealand.”