Nola Marino (Forrest, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Friday, I was one of the hundreds of farmers who rallied in Perth with trucks and utes to protest the contempt we're seeing from the Labor government in shutting down our live sheep export trade. One of the key signs I saw that every Australian needs to think about is: no farmers, no food. That's a key message.

This rally was organised by Keep the Sheep. I rode with local livestock transporter Mark Talbot. We were there to let our city friends know that this is much bigger than politics; it's about people's lives and livelihoods. The ripple effect that this will have on our small and remote regional communities is significant. It will not just affect the community. It will affect our shearers, our truck drivers and every local group and organisation.

What we're seeing from the government is a calculated and deliberate attack on farmers and regional and rural communities—the small communities that rely on every one of those businesses associated with live sheep exports to actually just survive. That's what is at risk here. This is an attack on all farmers and on the regions.

This is the message we want to get out: please get out there and sign up to Keep the Sheep, because this is just the thin end of the wedge for rural and regional Australians and our farmers.