While I usually empathasise with and sipport farmers, I am less inclined to do so with those sectors such as sugar and milk where subsidies have propped up and distorted the market for many years. For example, both industries mentioned received direct and indirect subsidies to remain in marginal land and marginal locations and against competition.

The federal DPI strived for many years to encourage farmers in marginal areas to move to other crops, such as tropical fruits. There were seeding grants and large support offered. Arguably, the traditional subsidies for dairy and sugar also had negative health outcomes for the population. Dairy is not good for you in large quantities and now are canned fruits where high added sugar subsidised artificially lower prices for sweetened canned fruits over unsweetened products. There were also negative impacts on water quality (especially from high nitrogent fertiliser for sugar).

I cannot 'cry' for dairy farmers where millions of other workers have been forced for decades to cope with the job losses and family disruption from restructuring and globalisation.

Much of the angst directed at the big supermarkets is coming from the feckless Greens and other Left activists who hunt headlines. Protest groups with no solutions to offer except returning to the cave and gaia worship. That is not to say that the supermarkets do no wrong but government intervention would do worse, especially where driven by the lunar Greens and accident-prone Gillard.

Lower supermarket prices for staple items are helping pensioners and others on fixed incomes. Those people that Julia Gillard reckons don't vote for her and can be dismissed while she pursues directorships on company boards (fat chance!) to eke out that fat guvvy super she will receive after the election.

It is not a duopoly here as we have Woolies, Coles, IGA (ex Franklins)
2 0ff and Aldi.

Still the farmers complaint is valid.

I buy many of my food products from a Union hater.
It costs more, so many will not bother, but I like to think I am helping, despite his views about unions, a good bloke look after Australians.
Dick Smith.
Coles and its opponent, see we pay, for its cheap goods by purchasing the over priced stuff too.
Aldi? well chooks are cheap, service is too, in truth if we all bought every thing there we would soon seen no Aussie food on the shelfs.
Chook for under five bucks? steamed and seasoned? great.
But we all have the right to buy at our price range.
Those low income earners have to eat too.

There has been major restructuring of the dairy industry going on since the UK joined Europe and knocked back our butter. Necessary deregulation, welcoming big players and setting the (agriultural produce) aim at the Asian market are some of the major changes over time. Another consequence is the concentration of production in Victoria.

There are good reasons for all of it and LNP and Labor governments (I don't know about the Gillard/Greens outfit, but Labor up to then), State and federal, generally concur on what had to be done and the best strategies for the future. Given the long lead times, excellent communication, extension services and aid to affected farmers to move out of the industry, it is a stretch to say there is unfairness, unless change itself is unfair. But who can do anything about that?

The Greens protest party is scratching for country votes, trying to get headlines, and as per usual has the bull by the udder. Besides, the Greens still need to account for the increased bushfire devastation from their 'no burn off' policies.

Bazz,

Coles and Woolworths dominate the food retail market in Australia - that's near enough a duopoly.

The playing field is massively tilted in their favour.

http://www.foodmag.com.au/news/govt-needs-to-stop-coles-and-woolworths-dominance

Hi there PELICAN...

You said in part ,'...Australia will not have a Dairy Industry soon...' or similar words ? That would hardly be surprising, given we virtually have no industry here anyway ?

I do wonder, in fact it scares me, after the incredible demand for our resources ultimately wanes, then what ? We have a very large debt that needs to be serviced, we hand out millions to others without any notion nor expectation of a return, gee it worries me.

What's the future for my grandchildren's children ? I'm so glad I'll be dead, I couldn't bare watching this once great country implode, but what of the future for those I care for ?

God help us.