6 May 2009
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry - Tony Burke
Chairman of Beef Australia - Geoff Murphy
Tony Burke: G’day it’s Tony. Not that long ago myself and Geoff Murphy got together and mentioned that Beef Week was coming up, well now, we’re here at Beef Expo here in Rockhampton. We’re in front of one of the Brahman yards and ah…how’s it been going?
Geoff Murphy: Fantastic Tony it’s been absolutely wonderful. Thank you very much for coming up today with us it’s been a pleasure having you here and it’s been an opportunity to show you around.
Tony: How many people, and thank you for the hospitality, it’s no great sacrifice on my part being here I can assure you. But at your end, how many people do you think you’re gonna get through the gates, how big’s the heard of people, how big’s the heard of cattle.
Geoff: Well, we’re looking at 60,000-plus through the gates…
Tony: That’s the people.
Geoff: That’s the people, yes. And we seem to be exceeding that based on yesterday and even today. And then we, in the yards, in the grounds here we have roughly 2,500 head of stud cattle and we have 2,500 head of commercial cattle out at Graseby which were all sold yesterday – judged over the weekend and sold yesterday.
Tony: Ok. And prices holding up?
Geoff: Prices were holding up, yes. The top went for about $2.10 and generally the others, even the worst of them, sold for $1.95 - $1.90.
Tony: A lot of the…I’ve noticed, I’ve met a few people who I met during the floods out at places like Cloncurry, Mornington things like that. Have you seen any fallback in people not being able to make it this year because of the Queensland floods?
Geoff: No, haven’t seen anybody at all, in fact I jokingly say if this is a recession I hope we have another one in 3 years time. This one’s been so good compared to what it was even in 2006 when we had fantastic seasons. But this year has absolutely been brilliant, so if we can keep this up 2012 will be even better still.
Tony: So, you sound like you’re not just talking optimism for the Beef Expo, but a fair bit of optimism for beef itself?
Geoff: Very much so, certainly up here in central Queensland we don’t see any impact from the recession at all.
Tony: Ok, well that’s good news for the country to hear.
Geoff: It is.
Tony: Great to be here Geoff.
Geoff: Thank you very much, thanks for being here.
Tony: Thank you.