Media Release

14 November2014

Gina Rinehart proposed project creates great hope for Qld dairy
THE Queensland Dairyfarmers Organisation has welcomed news of plans for a major investment in
the States dairy sector, via a new $500 million venture named Hope Dairies Ltd.
The project is being driven by Gina Rinehart and is being planned to supply infant formula to China,
marking the first major investment in the Queensland dairy industry since the late 1990s.
QDO President Brian Tessmann said the local industry was excited by the prospect of this new
project, which would include big investments in both farms and milk processing facilities, and was
bypassing the problems associated with the domestic milk value chain and proving the high value for
the long term for Queensland milk.
The investment would restore dairy processing capacity which Queensland has lost over the last
decade and a half, Mr Tessmann said.
China presents a real opportunity for our industry to form close partnerships to supply high quality
dairy products to their growing population, and in particular infant formula. This opportunity will
provide much needed diversification for our Queensland dairy industry.
We hope it will provide a range of opportunities for our existing Queensland dairy farming families,
which have suffered greatly in recent years from natural and manmade disasters including from the
supermarket milk price war and now drought.
We have lost over 130 farmers since the price war started, when we should not have been losing
any.
Mr Tessmann said that Hope Dairies was a show of real confidence in the future of the Queensland
industry.
It is clear that Chinese consumers value our high quality dairy products, which is in stark contrast to
Australia where the major supermarkets are happy to devalue our fresh milk as a discount marketing
agent.
The QDO looks forward to continuing to work with Ginas team and the Queensland Government to
see the project become a great success.

Media Enquiries:

Brian Tessmann, QDO President, 0427 622 537

Adrian Peake, Executive Officer, 0408 989 102
Brad Pfeffer Media Officer 0417 626 420