Sheep live ex committee report backs legislation despite thousands of submissions

Western Australia's sheep industry proponents, organisers of the #KeepTheSheep campaign, and peak bodies and farming groups have maintained their position to fight the legislation every step of the way.

After an initial approach sources were positive they have had success with Independent ACT senator David Pocock, listening to their information and agreeing to call for a full Senate inquiry into the Export Control Amendment (Ending Live Sheep Exports by Sea) Bill 2024, which will end the live sheep export trade by sea on May 1, 2028.

Committee chairwoman, Labor MP Meryl Swanson, Paterson, NSW, said the inquiry examined the provisions of the bill, including the authority for Commonwealth spending to assist those impacted to prepare and adapt, resulting in their endorsement of the legislation and funding package.

In addition to recommending that the bill be passed, the committee has made two recommendations in its advisory report, including that the Australian Government:

1. Considers making additional funding available to support the industry transition, potentially through the 2026 stocktake of industry progress; and

2. Continues to seek opportunities to work with the WA Government to refine and implement the transition support package.

"The bill fulfils the Albanese Government's election promise to end the live export of sheep by sea while providing time and money for the orderly transition of industry to new avenues of production and trade," Ms Swanson said.

After two hearings and 13,000 submissions many within the industry claim that it was obvious the inquiry was merely lip service and that the legislation was a foregone conclusion.

In his address to the committee in Canberra on Wednesday, June 12, Australian Livestock Export Council chairman David Galvin told the committee it expected the inquiry to be a complete waste of time, with the recommendation to pass the bill a fait accompli.

While Liberal MP Melissa Price, Durack, WA, called the inquiry a Kangaroo Court.

"To date, it appears only 663 submissions have been uploaded on to their website," Ms Price said.

"So, how many have actually been taken into consideration?

"The outcome is just as we expected from this kangaroo court of an inquiry; nothing has changed.

"What a complete waste of time and energy for all involved.

"The farmers and industry stakeholders took time out of their very busy schedules to attend and give evidence, and for what?

"They have had their heartfelt pleas and genuine supportive evidence shoved back into their faces.

"While some committee members hurried off back to their city homes to have lamb chops for dinner, our farmers returned to the reality of their own lives, with their future in doubt."

Ms Swanson said the committee acknowledged the strong opposition of sections of industry and local WA communities.

"This matter has been extensively canvassed by governments and communities," Ms Swanson said.

"The time has come to transition away from this trade.

"Like all transitions, it will not be without pain, but the outcome will provide industry with long-term certainty in line with community expectations."

The Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) endorsed the shorter timeline, slated in the government's transition package and whilst initially stating it would be a four-year phase-out, the report backdated this to the Independent Panel's announcement on March 3, 2023, making it a five-year timeline.

The DAFF submission to the committee inquiry has blown this timeline out once more, now claiming it is a 10-year phase-out.

"The provision of four years advanced notice of the precise phase out date is intended to offer participants in the live sheep export by sea supply chain the ability to plan and adapt to the end of trade," the submission said.

"The department notes that May 1, 2028 will be 10 years from when the policy was first announced in May 2018 and more than five years from when the minister announced on March 3, 2023 the panel's process to provide advice on how and when the government could phase out live sheep exports by sea."

The changeable timeline is just another piece of this policy that does not give industry much faith in the government's ability to keep its word, National Farmers Federation vice president and WAFarmers president John Hassell said.

He said this was supported by Agriculture Minister Murray Watt's original assurances the legislation would not be introduced in this term of Parliament, yet it was.

It came as no surprise then that the DAFF submission claimed a much longer timeline, bringing it into line with the longer phase-out as suggested by Episode 3 in its report to the Independent Panel.

It is understandable then, that the industry only tentatively believes the committee's recommendation of making additional funding available to support the industry transition, potentially through the 2026 stocktake of industry progress.

When he announced the package in Perth on May 11, Mr Watt said the $107 million package was not open to discussion, even though recommendation 23 of the government's response said:

"A review should be conducted in 2026 to ensure farm businesses, the WA sheep supply chain and market development are on track to achieve the onshore processing of the WA sheep turnoff expected by the cessation date for live sheep exports by sea," the report package said.

"This review should include recommendations about any adjustments needed, any change to the timeline and further actions to support a smooth transition by individuals, businesses and communities."

Leader of The Nationals David Littleproud, who was in Perth yesterday, said the inquiry was disingenuous, after thousands of submissions were sent to the committee and most could not even be read, let alone contemplated or investigated.

"Imagine how insulted farmers feel today after taking the time to write submissions, only for Labor to treat them with contempt," Mr Littleproud said.

"While I am pleased to officially open the WAFarmers Conference today, I stand with farmers."

Mr Littleproud said a future Coalition government will reinstate the live sheep export trade.

"The Nationals don't need an inquiry to understand the consequences of phasing out the live sheep export trade" he said.

"I have never seen anything galvanise primary producers and industry across the country," Mr Littleproud said.

"I have never seen anything galvanise primary producers and industry across the country," Mr Littleproud said.

Mr Hassell said he was more than disgusted, the evidence he provided was going to be knocked back because it was attached to a supposedly pro forma submission.

"I am also disgusted, even more so, because the evidence I provided strongly points to Animals Australia having committed disgraceful conduct to get this policy up and of course they are trying to stop it being published,"Mr Hassell said.

WAFarmers livestock section president Geoff Pearson said the issue goes further than the sheep industry, it was a case of agriculture as a whole and WA being ignored.

"It is an attack on agriculture, and this is something we can't sustain," Mr Pearson said. "You've got the cost of living for people and the everyday Australians are feeling it.

"And this constant attack on agriculture, we're feeling it right the way through.

"All of our communities and regional areas, which is making it very hard for us to conduct our businesses.

"This government is actually not listening to us.

"There have been many occasions where we have stood up in front of Ministers and even invited the Prime Minister to speak to us as well under this concern.

"We've never had a situation like this where backs have just been turned on us.

"We're in a situation now you've got all of Australia watching, it's a national issue now, we've got this attack on agriculture.

"It has to stop, and we need support from the everyday people out there to make it work for us, and not just listening and pandering to the minorities."

Keep The Sheep organiser and Pilbara, Livestock, Deport owner Paul Brown said it was expected that the report was preordained because there was no time to respond.

"They didn't give the committee any real time to make any serious recommendations or consider all of the 13,000 submissions," Mr Brown said.

"It was a deplorable act.

"But what we have seen in the last two weeks is that this fight is just getting started.

"The latest in the KeepTheSheep campaign is the farmy army.

"We are calling on volunteers to do letterbox drops and knock on doors to target the marginal electorates in WA to continue the fight.

"We will be showing the MPs in these marginal seats we are not going to roll over and we are going to show them, if they are not going to change this policy then we are going to change the government."

The Keep The Sheep website and campaign has just over 60,600 signatures registered on its petitions and just over $363,000 in donations as of 12.30pm on June 24.