Opinions sought from Australian wheat farmers

Updated April 4, 2008 08:07:40

The new survey seeks farmers' opinions on how they want Australia's export wheat marketing system to be managed. [ABC]

Australia's 24,000 wheat farmers are being asked to take part in a survey on how they want the country's export wheat marketing system to be managed.

The industry has undergone a shake-up since the former Australian Wheat Board (AWB) was found to have given almost $A300 million in bribes to the regime of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein between 1999 and 2003.

The ABC's Kelly Fuller reports that the Australian government has released draft legislation aimed at changing how Australia's export wheat is marketed, from a single desk to multiple licences, in the wake of the AWB scandal.

But Independent member for the seat of New England in the eastern state of New South Wales Tony Windsor says the government is failing to ask wheat growers what they want.

"After all, it is their industry, not the government's," he said.

The new survey asks three questions about whether farmers support a single desk, a multiple licensing system or a fully deregulated market.

Mr Windsor says no government decision should be regarded as irreversible.

"If there is a strong response from growers that is representative of a broad cross-section, ...and they come down in one shape or other in terms of their preferred marketing arrangement, I think it could make some difference," he said.

The survey will be open for farmers to comment until mid-April.