Agriculture Industry Outraged at Live Sheep Ban

The agriculture industry has united in its outrage at the Federal Government's four-year plan to phase out live sheep exports by sea, with many accusing the government of treating the industry with contempt and pandering to animal activists who base their arguments on emotion rather than science.

Following a week of announcing support for the cattle industry at Rockhampton's Beef 2024, agriculture minister Murray Watt flew to Western Australia to announce a $107 million plan to transition the industry away from one of its key markets between now and 2028 - a market that Livecorp claims is worth $143 million per year.

The announcement was followed by a series of statements, social media posts and press releases from farmers and agriculture groups condemning the plan.

Timing has been a major issue, with the Western Australian industry currently experiencing a dry spell and struggling to find markets for its sheep.

Minister Watt and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese kept the plan a secret in Rockhampton last week, enjoying the industry's hospitality and giving numerous encouraging speeches without taking questions from the audience. Murray Watt, the Agriculture Minister, pushed his way onto the Rural Press Club programme on Thursday morning but did not stay until the end of the breakfast.

Livecorp chairman Troy Setter, who was also at Beef 2024, claimed he was kept in the dark.

“I was not even invited to the government meeting – the animal activists were, but the export industry chair was not,” Mr Setter said in response to a National Farmers’ Federation press release on Twitter/X.

“Thanks for letting me know NFF, our industry has been killed off and the food supply for many countries has been cut off.”

In further social media discussion, Mr Setter said the live sheep were likely to come from other countries that did not have the same animal welfare standards as Australia.

$107 million packaged labelled inadequate for phase out.

Many people believe that the government's compensation package is completely inadequate in comparison to what is being proposed.

John McKillop, chair of the Red Meat Advisory Council, said the decision was ideological rather than scientific.

“Today’s announcement shows that no industry is safe from political and activist agendas, irrespective of evidence of reform, improvement and performance,” Mr McKillop said.

“$107 million over five years is grossly inadequate and the plans to introduce and pass associated legislation to phase out a legitimate agricultural industry by 1 May 2028 nothing short of a disgrace.

“When it takes $6 million to produce a report on how best to phase out an industry, despite the lack of a single legitimate, science or evidence-based argument, it is clear that $107 million to actually phase out the industry is well below par. Particularly when $11.1 million of that figure goes straight into Government coffers to ‘implement and engage’.

“The transition package completely ignores the flow on impacts this policy will have on the broader supply chain and Western Australian economy itself. Live cattle export shipments as an example often rely on consignments of live sheep to be viable. The Government’s head remains firmly in the ground on this front.

“To make matters worse is the complete disregard for the tough climatic conditions currently being experienced by many Western Australia producers. For the Government announcement to be in the media before industry is even briefed is staggering.”

Will cattle exports be next?

Cattle Australia CEO Chris Parker responded to the plan, saying, "This decision will send shivers down the spine of the live cattle industry for fear they will be next."

While the government has repeatedly stated that live cattle exports will not be banned, the Northern Territory cattle industry has been concerned about the government's willingness to eliminate a market since it made the election commitment to phase out live sheep exports.

During last year's NTCA conference, Minister Watt stated that the government supported live cattle exports and that the industry had nothing to fear.

However, the minister has relied heavily on the RSPCA's support in promoting the benefits of the live sheep ban. The RSPCA has also urged the government to ban live cattle exports.

Other politicians in Canberra have also criticised the ban, claiming that it is too long in duration and that cattle exports should also be banned.

The ban is unlikely to have any personal consequences for the majority of critics, including Teal independent MP Kylea Tink, who welcomed it in North Sydney.

“This is something we in North Sydney have called for since before the election. Disappointing though, that we have four years to wait and still no plan to end live beef cattle exports,” Ms Tink said on Twitter/X.

On the contrary, people who are directly impacted by the ban are voicing opposition – including WA Labor premier Roger Cook and many delegates at last week’s Beef 2024.

NTCA CEO Will Evans said trading partners were worried about the Government and Australian Beef Sustainability Steering Group chair Mark Davie called out banks taking anti-live export positions.

(See more on Beef Central)