Updated: Call for live export ban to be overturned as Ag Minister tops up transition funding in WA

UPDATED: Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins announced an additional $32.7 million for the transition support package for the phase out of live sheep exports by sea during a visit to Western Australia on Tuesday.

The announcement, at processor and exporter facility V&V Walsh at Bunbury, increased the total amount to assist sheep producers and associated supply chains to adapt from $64.6 million to $97.3 million, and raised the total overall package for the transition to $139.7 million.

Australian Livestock Exporters Council (ALEC) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mark Harvey-Sutton was scathing, saying: “The fact is, there is no amount of money that will compensate for the Government’s reckless ban on live sheep."

Mr Harvey-Sutton pointed out that even the WA State Government’s submission said that the industry needed $123 million per year for the next 10 years.

"This is a rushed effort to try and buy silence, but farmers and others in the industry have been disrespected the entire way through the process – from the independent panel through to guillotined debate in the Senate, and we won’t back down now," he said.

Later in the day Mr Harvey-Sutton denied that ALEC was one of the groups that pushed for additional funding, as was stated during Minister Collins' press conference.

"ALEC categorically denies any involvement in the design of this package," he said.

"ALEC has stood shoulder to shoulder with farmers since this reckless policy was first introduced and we remain resolute that the repeal of this legislation is the only reasonable course of action.

"Our trading partners already take boxed and chilled meat, but they require livestock as well. We consider it arrogant in the extreme to dictate to them what products they ought to want.”

Meanwhile, Sheep Producers Australia CEO Bonnie Skinner acknowledged that while the additional funding addressed some concerns, there was still an enormous lack of detail.  

READ MORE: Op Ed l Government’s live export ‘transition’ is leaving our farmers behind

“We want to see that these trade and marketing measures are genuinely new resources and that they are part of a structured program squarely focused on growing demand for Australian sheepmeat. These funds must not be used to prop up or duplicate existing programs,” Ms Skinner said.

“The current issue is getting our product to existing international markets, and that is why we have sought a government focus on increasing air freight capability out of Western Australia to alleviate bottlenecks for sheepmeat exports.”

Sheep Producers Australia Board Director and Western Australian sheep producer Bindi Murray said farmers and businesses needed more certainty about when and how they would receive support.

“The well-being of affected sheep producers, their families, their businesses and their communities must be the top priority,” Mrs Murray said.

In Perth Minister Collins was questioned about what had changed since Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's last visit to Perth, when he said the funding amount was firm.

"Well, we’ve obviously been engaging with industry representatives. We’ve been talking to people. I’ve been liaising with the Western Australian government, and this is about adding additional funds to those two areas we're told will require a bit more work," she said.

"That’s expanding the processing capacity here in Western Australia and, importantly, it’s with the sheep producers and making sure that we transition and have a package that’s co-designed to allow farmers to transition on farm and adapt their farms to be able to take up the great opportunities that will come their way."

However, she didn't envisage more funding becoming available saying: "This package we think is the right package for Western Australia."

It was Minister Collins' first visit to Western Australia, since she took on the ministry in late July.

She revealed she was going on farm to meet with farmers, grain producers, pastoralists in the Kimberley and lobster producers during her three-day visit.

EARLIER: Western Australia sheep exporters have declined to meet with Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins during a visit to the state that was being planned for Tuesday.

The Australian Livestock Exporters Council (ALEC) said Minister Collins approached the organisation to arrange a visit to the Kuwaiti-owned Peel Feedlot, operated by Emanuel Exports Pty Ltd. Emanuel and the Kuwaiti owners politely declined this offer.

It's understood another unnamed exporter was contacted directly, and also politely declined the opportunity.

ALEC CEO Mark Harvey-Sutton said he did not begrudge other parts of the supply chain meeting with the minister this week and that he appreciated that the new minister was making an effort to meet the supply chain face-to-face.

“However, at the nub of it, we simply asked ourselves what is the point of permitting the visit to the feedlot? The industry has already spent years explaining the reforms it has undertaken, its animal welfare achievements and the implications of the ban to farmers and our trading partners," Mr Harvey-Sutton said.

“The Government has made its intentions clear with its approach to date by making deliberately misleading statements that the transition package is adequate and that the ban will create opportunities.

"We also cannot forget the fact the legislation was jammed through via a sham House of Representatives Inquiry and that the Government guillotined debate in the Senate.

“The Albanese Government has willfully ignored all evidence presented to date about the damage this ban will do and has shunned industry through its behaviour.

"To undertake this visit now under the pretense of coming to listen and understand how the industry works presents as a vain effort to tick a box on engagement and is a half-hearted attempt to stave off the massive drop in confidence the ban has caused in WA. Our industry will not be patronised in such a manner.”

He said ALEC would always work with governments, "but working together is a two-way street".

"Given the appalling behaviour of the Albanese Government to date, why would it start listening now?" he asked.

It's expected Minister Collins was planning a visit to announce details of the transition package to phase out the live export of sheep by sea by May 1, 2028 - three months on from the passing of legislation.

Minister Collins was contacted for comment, but did not respond by the time of publication.