Farmers and truck drivers descended on Parliament House on Tuesday to protest a ban on live sheep exports and other policies they say are detrimental to Australian agriculture.
A sea of Akubras sprawled across the front lawns as cockies - some of whom drove from Western Australia to Canberra for the rally - called on Labor to walk away from the 2028 ban.
Kevin O'Brien, from Pingelly in Western Australia, said confidence in the industry had been smashed.
"It's dropping off, I'm selling a lot of the flock," he said.
"It's already cost me around $250,000 this year ... that's in straight costs because I couldn't find a market for my sheep because of this ban."
The flannelled congregation chanted "No farmers, no food" as they chided the government's agriculture policies.
WA Live Exporters Association chair John Cunnington said the state's flock had already decreased from 12 million and was expected to drop to eight million in 2025.
At least 10 million were needed in order for the industry to be self-sustaining, he said.
A record number of sheep were being trucked east as confidence in the industry crumbled.
Farmers were factoring in fewer lambs to offset the drop in demand.
"We're seeing the decimation of the WA sheep flock and the viability. Once the fences go down, they never go back up," Mr Cunnington said.
"We're not only going to see an end of the live export trade, we're probably going to start seeing abattoirs closing in the west as well."
Speaking at the rally, Nationals leader David Littleproud pledged to overturn the export ban as his first act as agriculture minister if elected to power.
He also promised to give agriculture "the right of way" over mining should there be conflict.
"There is a place for mining, there is a place for co-existence but we've got to make sure our food security is looked after," he said.
Labor argued ending the live sheep trade was humane after distressing onboard deaths.
In a radio interview, Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said she understood the farmers' concerns.
She met with the National Farmers Federation and Live Export Council to hear their views.
But Ms Collins stuck by the live sheep export ban and said more than $100 million had been set aside to assist impacted farmers.
The minister ruled out ending the live cattle trade.
Addressing the crowd, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said there were livelihoods at stake.
"I want every Australian to understand there is a human cost to this bad decision," he said.
Sprawled across the grass as Mr Dutton delivered his speech, independent MP Bob Katter said he agreed with the sentiment.
The fracas continued inside parliament, with angry farmers stacking the public galleries during Question Time.
Anthony Albanese noted the live sheep trade had been in decline and accounted for less than 0.1 per cent of Australia's estimated agricultural production.
Dismayed farmers stood and spilled out of the chamber during the prime minister's comments.
Even the walkout wasn't without controversy, with independent MP Zali Steggall accosting "a gentleman in jeans, black t-shirt, bald (and) overweight" for flipping the finger on the way out.
A wall of noise erupted as opposition MPs screamed and shouted about the remark, with Ms Steggall then questioning whether a member of the Coalition was threatening her.
