Rowan Ramsey (Grey, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) Australia's live sheep export industry employs more than 3,500 people in Western Australia and is worth $85 million in direct payments to producers with an assumed multiplier effect close to $300 million;

(b) Australia has developed world-leading animal welfare standards which are applied to animals exported by sea and the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System ensures animal welfare right through to point of slaughter in destination markets;

(c) the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the Government have committed to phasing out live sheep exports from Australia, but have not released a timeframe for this;

(d) the independent panel appointed by the Minister to consult with stakeholders and provide advice on how and when the Government will phase out exports provided its report to the Minister on 25 October 2023;

(e) despite numerous requests, the Government and the Minister have refused to release the report to stakeholders, farmers or industry groups, claiming it is 'cabinet-in-confidence';

(f) the Coalition's Agriculture, Water and Environment Backbench Committee met with livestock farmers in South Australia and Western Australia from 5 to 8 March to hear firsthand the concerns of those in the region most likely to be affected;

(g) the committee heard from farmers, industry participants and community representatives who work hard to ensure the welfare of their animals throughout the export process is maintained at the high levels Australians expect; and

(h) attendees at eight meetings over four days indicated that confidence in the sheep industry was at its lowest point in decades and were fearful for the industry's future and the future of family farms and businesses and their wider rural communities;

(2) condemns the Government for its reckless and ideological decision to forcibly shut down Australia's live sheep export industry in order to try and hold seats in the inner cities where they are competing with the Australian Greens;

(3) recognises that any decisions made in respect to the trade should always be predicated on science and independent of the Government;

(4) calls on the Government to urgently explain what factual evidence or science its decision to ban the live sheep export industry is based on;

(5) demands the Government immediately release the report of the independent panel to allow proper discussion with stakeholders; and

(6) urges the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to urgently re-open the inquiry into the grooming of and payments made to Faizal Ullah by Animals Australia in the light of a second statutory declaration coming forward after the closure of its initial investigation.

From 5 to 8 March, the coalition's agriculture, water, drought and environment policy committee conducted eight forums, one in South Australia and seven in Western Australia, to enable sheep producers and industry participants, including transporters, stock agents, exporters and industry representative groups, to have their say on the government's plan to phase out the live sheep export trade. A total of 10 members of the coalition travelled to listen to industry participants and were shaken by the widespread pessimistic view they collectively held for the future.

The live export trade is a safety valve for Western Australian industry, which absorbs sheep numbers when turn-off numbers are in excess of existing processing capacity in the state. The live export trade falls away when stock is short and prices are higher, enabling processors to maintain profitable levels throughout the year. At other times, when supply is plentiful, and even with processing facilities operating at capacity, values fall to a point where the export trade is price competitive and it ramps up, placing a virtual floor price in the market.

Producers repeatedly made the point that the trade had made huge investments and turned itself inside out to meet new and ever more stringent export regulations. They were proud of the industry, and their role in it, as an outstanding success and example to others, with onboard mortality rates falling to the point where they were often better than on farms.

However, the phase-out decision has destroyed confidence in the sheep industry. Where there is an alternative to exit sheep and intensify cropping regimes, growers are doing so. As a result, local markets are overwhelmed and prices are at decadal lows, with 200 sheep not receiving a bid or an offer at the Katanning sales on the day the committee visited. Estimates of unmated sheep for the coming season range from 10 to 25 per cent of the state flock. This will in time deliver a secondary blow to the industry, likely leading to undersupply and putting severe financial pressure on the processing industry. The WA sheep flock is about 85 per cent merino, so any dramatic reduction in sheep numbers is likely to have an ongoing effect on the critical mass of the national wool clip.

It's also clear that the impacts of the looming ban are not restricted to WA, with more than 25,000 head a week coming over the border to South Australia. This in turn is depressing markets there. Michael Crosby from Nutrien in Perth said that all the stock cannot be processed in WA and there is a huge backlog of mutton and lamb to be killed in WA and/or shipped interstate. Caroline Robinson from Hyden, representing the North Eastern Wheatbelt Regional Organisation of Councils, said they've modelled the financial impacts of the ban and assessed it would conservatively impart a loss of $128 million on their seven shires alone over the next 20 years. The committee heard this modelling will be replicated by other shires, which carry even higher sheep numbers.

Robbie Bowey from Hyden asked why, when WA makes up 20 per cent of the nation's wool clip, we are letting wool get canned as a result of the live animal export ban. Concerns were raised about future decisions affecting long-haul stock transport with Peter Sutherland from Merredin stating: 'COVID showed us how quickly food can dry up and empty supermarkets. Everyone seems to have forgotten what it was like when the borders closed and we couldn't move food around the country.' Jan Cooper from the Livestock and Rural Transport Association of WA said: 'during the last 12-18 months members were feeling vulnerable to activists—very concerned long-distance transport would be targeted next.' She described that sheep for live export were transported around five times as compared to twice with abattoir slaughter, and they would lose 40 per cent of their business if live export ceased. Steve Meerwald, who formerly worked for Metro and Wellard, said: 'with a less than 0.2 per cent mortality rate, Australia leads the world in successfully transporting sheep long distance by ship—the government should support science-based solutions.'

I have a host of other quotes here, which is why I'm seeking to table this report as part of this speech. I have received a number of submissions from growers which I also seek to table. I'm seeking the government's support to table that. I'll end with one quote from Rick Twine, who said this was the first year ever he had not mated his ewes.

I seek leave to table that report along with the submissions that the committee received.

Leave not granted.

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