15 April 2016

Free the potato - common sense finally prevails

Hon Peter Katsambanis MLC expressed his relief that common sense has finally prevailed with the announcement today of the imminent deregulation of WA’s potato industry and the abolition of the Potato Marketing Board.

Along with prominent campaigners including Tony Galati, Mr Katsambanis has been on the record a number of times questioning the need for a Potato Marketing Act and has been a strong advocate for deregulation.

Questioning Mr Timothy Cusack, CEO of the Potato Marketing Board, in Parliament in 2014, Mr Katsambanis said: “Tomatoes are a fresh product grown in WA, cucumbers are, bananas—all sorts of other products. We do not have tomato boards, we do not have cucumber boards and we do not have lettuce boards. The market seems to deal with things pretty well without an act of Parliament.”

“The fact that this Board had to produce a report to Parliament was just a gross waste of every single human being’s time in this state," Mr Katsambanis said today.

"Nobody should ever risk being fined or going to jail for growing food and no bureaucrat should ever have the power to suggest somebody is growing 'too many' potatoes.

“It is a relief that this unnecessary bureaucratic interference will no longer continue.

"This is a win for common sense and free markets. We should all celebrate with a meal of Western Australian fish and chips today!" Mr Katsambanis concluded.