Farmers and agricultural leaders set to be impacted by the federal government’s looming ban on live sheep exports will take their message directly to federal politicians today, as the committee investigating the government’s legislation holds its only public hearing in WA.
Hundreds of people are expected to meet on the outskirts of Northam at the Muresk Institute, an agricultural training facility and working farm, to speak directly with members of parliament’s Standing Committee on Agriculture.
The committee is examining the provisions of the bill to end the trade and its application to the live sheep export trade.
Farmers protesting against the government’s plan to ban the trade in May 2028 are also expected to line the driveway at Muresk, 100 kilometres north-east of Perth, with placards similar to those driven through Perth two weeks ago.
Lobby group WA Farmers wrote to its members on Thursday, asking for vehicles to be parked for maximum visual impact, and reminded them “a strong police presence will also be at Muresk, so ensure that there are no firearms present”.
Second and final hearing
The event follows an emotional and heated day in Canberra on Wednesday, where the committee heard from live export and agricultural representative organisations along with groups opposed to the live trade, including independent veterinarian and former live export ship vet Lynn Simpson.
Dr Simpson told the hearing how she vividly remembered cutting a heat stressed sheep’s throat, and found the blood to be “almost scalding”, she said she then measured a core temperature of the animal of 47 degrees.
She worked on live export ships from 2001 to 2011.
Dr Simpson was scathing about conditions on board live sheep export ships and said heat stress of sheep on ships was a constant risk.
“I’ve certainly seen voyages with single tiers, good ventilation rate and a lower stocking density which equate to what we are seeing now, and I saw heat stress on every single one of them,” she said.
“The mortality rate is down across the year now because they’re not going through the summer moratorium period, they’ve taken the higher risk voyages out, but every other voyage does hold a risk.”
Dr Simpson said she was not paid to share her experience or opinion.
In 2018, then-federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud initiated the McCarthy review after footage emerged showing almost 2,500 sheep dying from heat stress during a trip to the Middle East in 2017.
The review began a raft of changes designed to reduce heat stress and mortalities on live sheep ships, such as lower stocking densities, environmental monitoring and mandatory independent observers on ships.
In 2019, the government introduced a moratorium of sheep exports during the northern hemisphere summer.
Proponents of the live export industry argue these changes have radically improved welfare standards for sheep on live export ships.
A new campaign group Keep the Sheep has raised $300,000 to fund its bid to defend the live trade industry.
Its online petition calling for government to overturn its policy has garnered more than 52,000 signatures.
Northern cattle industry backing sheep producers
After speaking at Wednesday’s hearing, which he labelled predetermined and a box-ticking exercise, Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association chief executive Will Evans flew from Darwin to Perth to attend today’s meeting.
In its submission to the inquiry, the association questioned the government’s claims to a mandate to end the trade, arguing it had obfuscated its position during the lead-up to the 2021 election.
Mr Evans said his group had to fight to appear on Wednesday, but was not given an opportunity to properly present its case.
“This is bad policy making. This sets concerning precedents, it’s dangerous and is hurtful to people. It’s something government should not be doing,” he said.
Mr Evans slammed the speakers in the last session of Wednesday’s hearing in Canberra, which included groups such as the RSPCA, Vets Against Live Exports, the Australian Alliance for Animals and two veterinarians, saying they were not acting in good faith.
“Some of those organisations have regulatory roles, so it’s really disappointing, it’s really concerning that this has become about a political campaign for them and not about the best interests of animal welfare,” Mr Evans said.
Australian Livestock Exporters Council chair David Galvin shared a similar sentiment in Wednesday’s hearing, saying the inquiry was a waste of time and the recommendation to pass the legislation a fait accompli.
“The agricultural industry has mobilised in a manner I have never seen, and make no mistake, the inquiry will not be the end of it,” he said.
A number of major industry groups are scheduled to appear at today’s hearing, with an hour set aside for community statements from 11:45am AWST.
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