The livelihoods of WA farmers hang in the balance as the Federal Government maintains it’s silence over a vital report on how and when to phase out live sheep export trade.
The office of Agriculture Minister Murray Watt says the Government has kept the inquiry under wraps for nearly two months now because it is “taking the time to properly assess all recommendations in the report and develop a responsible response” before making its position public.
WAFarmers vice president Steve McGuire said he was angry that a phase-out timeline hadn’t been delivered, as he and those in the industry needed time to make adjustments.
“If I’m going to have a breeding year in two years, I need to make a decision now,” Mr McGuire told The West Australian.
“We have a Federal Government that does not care, and that’s the biggest problem. We don’t expect good news. If it’s a short-term shutdown, the damage will be next to catastrophic.”
The Albanese Government is committed to sticking to its promise in the past two Federal elections to end the industry — appointing an independent panel earlier this year to determine how and when that will be done.
After being overwhelmed by the number of submissions, the panel was given a month extension to hand in its report on October 25.
It received more than 800 written submissions and 3300 survey responses. That included a submission from the WA Government that demanded a “long transition” and the need for “significant transitional support for the WA industry”.
The report is expected to include recommendations on potential ways to facilitate the phase-out, a suggested time frame, options for implementation, and potential ways to support the transition.
Nationals Leader David Littleproud has hit back at the Commonwealth, accusing Senator Watt of treating the people of WA with no respect over the issue.
The State’s farmers are responsible for 80 per cent of the national live sheep export trade.
“He promised the WA Government he would release the report this year. If he now wants to release it through the cover of Christmas and New Year, then he’s treating the people in WA with contempt,” Mr Littleproud said.
“Murray Watt hasn’t got any economic or scientific reason to shut this industry down, and I suspect that’s what the report says.
“Unfortunately, the livelihoods of 3000 West Australians are sitting there in abeyance, wondering what’s happening to them and what decision Anthony Albanese will make on their future. There’s a whole lot of anxiety that’s been created unnecessarily.”
A spokeswoman for Senator Watt said the report would be released following “appropriate consideration by the Government”.
“The Government will not be commenting on the report’s details while carefully considering the recommendations,” she said.
It comes as Australia this week restarted exports to Saudi Arabia for the first time since 2011.
In August, the Cook Government crunched the numbers and revealed the phase-out would cost WA’s agricultural industry up to $123 million a year and put nearly 400 people out of work.
Premier Roger Cook has urged Mr Albanese to reconsider his plan to shut the industry down.
“The State Government continues to advocate for WA farmers, who play an important role supporting jobs, businesses and communities in rural WA,” a spokeswoman for the Premier said.
“Earlier this year, we provided a submission to the Federal Government’s live export panel, which warned of the economic impacts of ending live export.
“If the phase-out goes ahead, the WA livestock industry must have a clear plan, significant support and a reasonable time frame to enact changes.”
The industry has made significant improvements in animal welfare outcomes following the deaths of about 2400 sheep on a ship from Fremantle to the Middle East in 2017.
In the past financial year, 906 out of 603,449 sheep died on a ship from Fremantle to several overseas ports.