State Labor leader Luke Foley says he will end what he describes as a “conflict of interest”, and sell the government’s multimillion-dollar equity investment in Australia’s Oyster Coast if elected next year.
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In May, Deputy Premier John Barilaro and Bega MP Andrew Constance announced a $3.3million investment in the group, which has been running at a loss for the past two financial years.
I’ve made sure those farmers concerned are meeting directly with the relevant ministers this week to get the answers they need.
- Bega MP Andrew Constance
The announcement was later described by NSW Farmers Federation Oyster Committee chair Caroline Henry as “not a good look for the industry”.
The government’s investment was combined with a $6.7million co-investment from First State Super, as part of the state’s new GO NSW Equity Fund, established with partners First State Super and ROC Partners in 2017.
Mr Foley said the investment “should never have been made”, describing it as an “inequitable and unfair” move putting local businesses at a “serious disadvantage”.
“Local member and cabinet minister Andrew Constance has let down local oyster growers by playing favourites with this investment,” Mr Foley said.
“Local oyster producers have said it creates an uneven playing field in the oyster industry and likely breaches the government’s own guidelines on the ‘competitive neutrality’ of the state.”
Bega MP Andrew Constance said Mr Foley is “ill-informed” on the issue and “focused on political protesting”.
“I’ve made sure those farmers concerned are meeting directly with the relevant ministers this week to get the answers they need,” Mr Constance said.
“Luke Foley hasn’t even spoken to our local oyster farmers. His lack of experience in government is clearly shining through.”
Country Labor’s candidate for Bega, Leanne Atkinson, said money from the sale of the stake would be used to “assist the entire oyster industry”.
“We’ll have an industry roundtable to hear from local oyster farmers how it can be best spent to assist the entire industry. The money obtained from the sale would be used to assist the entire oyster industry,” she said.
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