A Win For Farmers in Dawson after Labor Backflips on SMSF Farm Tax Grab

Member for Dawson and Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing and Sovereign
Capability, Mr Andrew Willcox MP, said farmers across Dawson have had an enormous win
after Labor retreated on its poorly conceived, reckless, and cruel plan to tax unrealised
gains on farms held in self-managed super funds (SMSFs).

Mr Willcox said Labor had been embarrassingly forced to give in after The Coalition and industry
groups campaigned strongly against the plan, and the government faced a backlash from
farming families across Dawson.

“Labor’s plan to punish Australia’s hardest workers and attack their unrealised gains in
superannuation was shocking from the start and never should have happened,” Mr Willcox said.

He said many farming families across Dawson, including the region’s sugar cane growers, had
set up SMSFs as part of their retirement and succession planning, unaware Labor could attempt
to tax their assets on paper every single year.

“Labor could never even tell us how many primary producers, small and family business owners
would have been impacted. In what parallel universe does a government think it’s okay to tax
on-paper, unrealised gains?” Mr Willcox said.

Mr Willcox said the plan would have forced some farmers to sell their land instead of passing it
on to the next generation, and that such uncertainty had caused unnecessary anxiety in regional
communities.

“Farmers in Dawson deserve certainty, not shifting goalposts from a government that doesn’t
understand regional Australia. This backflip is a win for common sense and for the families who
have worked hard to build something for the next generation,” he said.

He said The Coalition had taken a strong stand to protect regional communities and hold Labor
accountable, ensuring the concerns of rural Australians were heard loud and clear.

“The Coalition led the charge against this unfair policy because we knew what was at stake. This
was never just about tax — it was about livelihoods, retirement security, and keeping family
farms in family hands,” Mr Willcox said.

While welcoming Labor’s retreat, Mr Willcox warned the government not to revisit similar
measures in the future.

“While Labor’s backdown is welcome, it’s also a warning. Every time this government looks for
revenue, it seems they reach for regional Australia first. We’ll keep holding them to account to
make sure they don’t try to sneak this or similar measures back in through the back door,” he
said.

Mr Willcox said Labor should apologise to the farming community for the stress and uncertainty
they caused.

“Our farmers who produce the nation’s food and fibre — from sugar to beef — must be
protected from Labor’s tax grabs.

“The Coalition will always stand up for our farmers, their families, and the future of regional
Australia.”

Andrew Willcox says The Coalition will always back Aussie farmers, defending family farms from unfair taxes and supporting a strong future for regional industries. Photo supplied

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