Federal inquiry backs government move to end live sheep export from Western Australia

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Representatives from the rural lobby group 'Keep the Sheep' have flown to Canberra in a final bid to prevent legislation that would ban the live sheep trade in 2028. They will focus their efforts on persuading Senators who are set to vote on the bill, which was passed by the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

Transcript

00:00Ravensthorpe's Ben Sutherland is a man on a mission.

00:08It's not over, the fight is never over until the fat lady's sung.

00:12The livestock transport operator is gearing up for a last minute appeal to Canberra's

00:17politicians.

00:18We've got them scared and they need to know that we're coming for them and we need people

00:22still behind us.

00:24He'll be part of a delegation of veterinarians, shearers, wool producers and farmers from

00:29WA flying to the capital to convince crossbench senators to further investigate the impact

00:37on WA of Labor's bill to ban shipping live sheep.

00:42I think this is the most united I've ever seen the industry behind one cause because

00:46they all understand the devastation that this bill will cause to WA agriculture.

00:52The dash to Canberra comes after a snap two day House of Representatives agricultural

00:57inquiry recommended Minister Murray Watt press ahead with the ban, a move that angered WA's

01:05sheep industry.

01:07And there is so much evidence and data that has been swept under the table in this sham

01:12House of Reps inquiry that that's why we're taking this fight to Canberra.

01:17Based on the evidence I've seen in the last year I laid out the arguments for and against

01:21and said on balance I would support the ban.

01:25And now a change of heart by Kate Cheney, WA's independent member for Curtin.

01:31Since then I've changed my mind, in the last few days I've heard so many stories from constituents

01:36and other Western Australians about the very real impacts a ban would have on them, on

01:42their livelihoods, their mental health, their families and their communities.

01:46Last week the WA Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis met her federal counterpart Murray

01:51Watt.

01:52The Cook government doesn't support the bill and says the federal government's proposed

01:57$107 million transition package isn't enough.

02:02Ms Jarvis says the state government will continue to explore opportunities in the best interest

02:08of the WA sheep industry.

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