Kevin Hogan (Page, National Party, Shadow Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Hansard source

Are we just saying to those countries that the fact that they want this, that they want live exports to their countries, means that they're bad? If we're saying that we shouldn't have the live export industry, are we then saying to the countries which want live imports that because they demand, or want, that product, that they're bad people, because of what that entails? Of course that's exactly what those opposite are saying, and that is insulting to every country in that trade—and there are a lot of other countries which we do live exports of beef to, and that's effectively what those opposite are saying.

Again, as we know, the Keep the Sheep campaign—the 'farmy army'—is coming to a marginal Labor seat near you. I say to them right now: as the coalition, we support you and back you, and we'll reverse this decision when we win government at the next election.

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