R.I.P. One Single Desk...!

[TOM4CWB]

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA — Australia’s wheat export monopoly, also known as the single desk, came to an end after 60 years on June 23.

Australia’s entity for managing the nation’s monopoly on bulk grain export, AWB Limited, lost the monopoly due to a controversy involving five contracts between the wheat exporter and the Iraq Grain Board operating under the Saddam Hussein regime. The contracts involved the payment of $118.28 million (A$126.3 million) in breach of United Nations sanctions between Dec. 20, 2001 and Dec. 11, 2002.

Australia’s House of Representatives accepted an amended bill passed by the Australian Senate, clearing the way for the new bulk wheat export marketing system to be in place by July 1, 2008.

An industry regulator, Wheat Exports Australia, will administer a wheat export accreditation scheme, with the power to grant, vary, suspend or cancel that accreditation. Applicants operating bulk grain port terminals must provide access to other exporters by entering arrangements to be overseen by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission from October 2009.

The Australian government also announced the appointment of members to Wheat Exports Australia:

• Chair Ted Woodley, former head of a number of large grain and energy companies, with expertise in business and grain handling, including the NSW Grain Corporation and EnergyAustralia;

• Nicole Birrell, a current member of the Grains Research and Development Corporation and former director of AusBulk, with expertise in commodity trading, foreign exchange trading, finance and regulation;

• Kim Halbert, a grain and livestock producer and director of the Grain Licensing Authority of Western Australia, with expertise in economics, business and regulation;

• Professor Paul Kerin, professor at the Melbourne Business School with experience in economics, public policy and business;

• Sandy Murdoch, former CEO of Ridley AgriProducts with expertise in international trade and marketing, commodity trading, business, grain production and grain handling; and

• Martine Pop, former member of the 2004 Wheat Marketing Review Panel and the Grain Pool of Western Australia with expertise in finance, economics, regulation and law."
http://www.world-grain.com/news/daily_enews.asp?ArticleID=94495

[TOM4CWB]

Hmmmm... a new Co-operative is a 'single desk'...

WHy am I confused?


"ABC Rural News (Australia)

June 24, 2008 Tuesday 9:55 AM AEST

134 words


Some farmers consider establishing their own wheat single desk


Farmers who've opposed the removal of the single wheat export desk by the Federal Government say they might still set up their own.

The Federal Government's bill to end AWB's wheat export monopoly, and open exports to competition in July, passed Parliament with Liberal support yesterday.

Growers protested during Question Time and demanded compensation for losses they say they'll make under deregulation.

Riverina farmer Pat Drum says 80 per cent of wheat growers still want a single desk, so they might try to put together a new co-operative.

"The WEMA alliance had a system put together before the Federal election in November last year and there are thoughts in mind in that direction," he says.

"Even though we've been belted, we're not down completely, because there are other alternatives that we have."

June 24, 2008"