Regional Australia is the “biggest loser” under recently announced Government cutbacks according to Senator Ron Boswell.  “This week has seen the gutting of rural Australia and the services that the previous Coalition Government had put in place” Two weeks in the life of the Rudd Labor government has seen the loss of Billions of dollars from agriculture programs and as a result of fundamental changes to rural and regional Australia, including: • Government access to capital from Telecommunications Future fund – Up to $2 Billion • Loss of the Wheat Industry’s Single Desk Selling arrangements – Priceless • AAA – FarmBis - $24.0 million cut This Coalition Government program has assisted over 165,000 farmers, fishers and land managers to undertake business management education and training. The training allowed under this program included financial management, marketing, natural resource management, production management, people management and general business management. • AAA – Advancing Agricultural Industries Programme - $26.2 million cut This Coalition Government program has assisted over 35 industries with measures to assist their profitability and more than 700 people, including women, young people and indigenous Australians to gains skills to enable them to contribute to their industry’s decision making. • Apprenticeship Incentives for Agriculture and Horticulture - $47.7 million cut This Coalition Government program provided practical assistance for apprentices in agriculture and horticulture, enabling them to purchase a tool kit valued up to $800 and has contributed $1,000 to their training fees. • Living Away from Home Allowance - $100,000 cut This Coalition Government program assisted Apprentices if they had to move away from home for training. • 116 Regional Partnership programs that remain approved but unfunded –Cost unknown “The Labor Government is not a Government for all Australians; it is only a Government for those Australians living in the cities.” “The billions of dollars worth of cuts by the Prime Minister Rudd should put Australia on notice that Labor is not a friend of the regions”. “Not bad for the first two weeks of Labor rule” ENDS