The Keep the Sheep movement has failed to stop legislation to end live sheep export, with the passing of the bill in the Senate on Monday enough to sign it into law.
The Export Control Amendment (Ending Live Sheep Exports by Sea) Bill 2024 will end Australia’s live sheep export trade by 2028, with $107 million set to be given to the industry to ensure as smooth a transition away from the practice as possible.
The Keep the Sheep movement took its fight to the steps of Parliament House as the legislation was being passed following extensive protest against the passing of the bill in the weeks and months leading up to its discussion.
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Murray Watt says the passing of the bill is a significant moment for animal welfare in Australia.
“We made a commitment at two elections to phase out the export of live sheep by sea after years of community concern about the trade,” Watt says.
“Sheep producers, the sheep supply chain and trading partners can now plan and take action with confidence, knowing there is four years until the trade ends.
“Live sheep exports by sea from Australia have been plummeting over the last 20 years. It’s an industry that’s been in long-term decline with the evolution of global food supply chains, and it now represents less than one per cent of Western Australia’s agriculture sector.
“I remain optimistic for the future of Australia’s sheep industry and WA’s sheep industry for that matter.
“I’m confident the transition package will continue to take the sheep industry and communities of Western Australia forward.”
The passing of the bill has enabled the $107 million package to begin its rollout, however in an exclusive interview with ATN last week, Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association (ALRTA) executive director Rachel Smith labelled the funding as a “slap in the face”, and stated less than half of that money would actually be going to the supply chain itself.
“Of that $107 million I believe $64 million goes to government departments to oversee and manage the phase-out, Smith told ATN. “Really only about $50 million is going to the industry,” Smith said.
“That’s across the entire supply chain, from producers, to transporters, to feed lots, right through to impacting onshore processing and exporters.”
National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) President David Jochinke says the legislation passing represents a dark day for Australia’s farming industry, and the entire supply chain.
“Farming communities have been sold out for political gain, and they’re gutted,” Jochinke says.
“The government vowed to kill off the jobs of farmers, shearers and truckies in WA. Credit to them, they’ve executed that job with ruthless efficiency.
“The facts are unless this ban is reversed, farming communities, animals, and Australia’s strategic trade partnerships will all suffer.
“These communities will wake up tomorrow with a lot to digest and some tough business decisions to make.
“They have my commitment the NFF will continue to stand with them.”
Government figures state live export is worth approximately $77 million per year to the Australian sheep meat industry which, in 2022-23, was worth $4.5 billion.
Smith, however, says that live export can make up as much one-third of business for transport companies who operate in the industry.
“Live sheep exports fill a certain gap in the sheep supply chain in Australia,” Smith told ATN.
“For transporters in WA alone live export is up to 30 per cent of their business, that’s a significant cut to their revenue every year.”
The Keep the Sheep petition had been signed by over 62,000 people as of the end of June, while over 13,000 submissions were made in the week-long consultation period prior to the discussion of the bill beginning in the House of Representatives.
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