Remzi Mulla interviewed by Gregg Borschmann in Australian tobacco industry collection [sound recording]
- Bib ID:
- 3099492
- Format:
- Audio
- Author:
- Mulla, Remzi, interviewee
- Access Conditions:
- Written permission required for research use, personal copies and public use during the lifetime of the interviewee.
- Description:
-
- 2004 Apr
- 7 digital audio tapes (ca. 449 min.)
- Series:
- Australian tobacco industry collection.
- Summary:
-
Remzi Mulla talks about arriving in Australia in 1939 from Albania; his father coming to Australia in 1927; the government helping people to establish tobacco farms in North Queensland; clearing a 10 acre with a block and tackle and tree puller; in 1941 moving to the rivers, the Barron and Emerald Creeks, 20 acre farm; memories of the first farm; studying pharmacy; his father's heart attack at 48; going back to the farm to help out as pharmacy was not fulfilling; problems with graft and corruption in the 1950's; describes the process and sale of tobacco; the racism; the irrigation channels opening up Dimbulah in 1958; working with share farmers to 1965; describes the tobacco industry before stabilisation in 1965; the over production in the 1950s and 1960s; the calculation of quotas; his debt and doing other jobs eg. welding, repairing machinery; 1970's being the peak production time in Australia for tobacco; the mechanisation of the farms putting people out of work; the improvement in tobacco growing and harvesting in Australia; the rise in fuel prices in the 1960's and late 1980's.
Mulla speaks of his first term as director of the Growers Co-Op in the early 1980s; the need for supplementary or complementary crops; speaks about the National Competition Policy; discusses the role of Australian Tobacco Board, their regulation of quantity and price; speaks in detail about the deregulation of the industry and its effects on the farmers; the politicians not understanding the impact of what they were signing up for; the reduction in quota holders in Queensland; the loss of trust in the manufacturers; the manufacturers wanting approximately only 50 growers in Victoria and 50 growers in Queensland and 20% Australian leaf usage; trying to get a scientific basis for 'quality'; the year 2000 being the beginning of the end; discusses the politics of the split with the Victorians; mentions the illegal trade in tobacco, "chop chop"; a tobacco company removing their support in North Queensland; the loss of livelihood and its impact on the farmers; the multinationals dictating to the government; the multinationals moving off-shore.
- Notes:
-
- Recorded on April 2-3, 2004 at Mareeba, Qld.
- Digital master available National Library of Australia
- Index/Finding Aid Note:
- Timed summary (7 p.)
- Subject:
- Occupation:
- Farmers
- Other authors/contributors:
- Borschmann, Gregg (Gregg John), 1955-, interviewer
- Copyright:
-
In Copyright
Contact us for information about copying. For access conditions return to the record display above.
- Reason for copyright status:
- Until 2074 [Created/Published Date + 70 Years]
Copyright status was determined using the following information:
- Material type:
- Sound Recording
- Published status:
- Unpublished
- Creation date:
- 2004
Copyright status may not be correct if data in the record is incomplete or inaccurate. Other access conditions may also apply. For more information please see: Copyright in library collections.
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