Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I want to commend Senator McKenzie for bringing this matter of public importance before the Senate today for us to consider—the need for the Albanese government to end its anti-farming agenda, which is damaging Australia's competitive advantages, driving up the cost of doing business for Australian farmers and further increasing the cost of living for all Australians.

I was very proud today to stand out the front of this building with farmers who have come from all over the country—indeed, quite a number of them from Western Australia, who have made an enormous effort to be here. Some of them drove their trucks over and spent the number of days it takes to drive across the continent, which is something to be commended and supported. But, unfortunately, we did not see any of those opposite—certainly not the Prime Minister—front up at that rally, which is a real shame.

As a Western Australian, I am seeing firsthand the impact that the closing down of this important trade is having on the livelihoods of generations of families who have been farming in Western Australia, who have seen this trade occur, which has provided a livelihood for them and their families, and it's being decimated. We are already seeing the impact of this. Even though the ban doesn't come into place for several years, we are already seeing the impact on the flock in Western Australia. It is absolutely shameful that this government is just pandering to the interests of those in the inner-city areas. We saw that, to get preference votes in the by-election in Dunkley, they traded off votes with the Animal Justice Party or whatever party it was—those activists—for a cynical result. It was a cynical transaction that ultimately has cost the livelihoods of farmers in Western Australia. It is absolutely shameful.

Do you know what else is shameful? During question time, we had interjections from the former minister for agriculture somehow belittling the size of the crowd out there. It doesn't matter whether there were just two people, several hundred people or thousands of people out the front; what matters is that people came here today to have their voices heard. There was a very large crowd. I couldn't count the number that were there. I wasn't there long enough to do a full headcount, but there were—I don't know—maybe a thousand or more. Those who were there longer would know and would have done that count. But the fact that it was raised in this place—even by Senator McCarthy, who raised it and said, 'Oh, there were only 400 people,' as if that were something to be snickered at—just shows the attitude of those opposite and their disdain towards this industry and the producers in this country that have a proud tradition.

These farmers care more about their animals than anyone else—more than any activist that might want to front up to their farms would ever do. They care deeply about them. I've been to the feedlot; I've been on the ship, and I've seen the quality of the efforts that have been taken by these producers and exporters. I've witnessed firsthand their care and the attention that is paid. They have done everything that the regulator and the government have called on them to do, and more. To now have in their face this decision by this government and by this parliament, who have turned their backs on Western Australia, is an absolute shame.

Before the last election, there were placards and billboards put up in polling booths and at schools across the country on election day saying, 'Put WA first; vote Labor.' What a mockery those signs are. What a mockery the government are even to their own words, because they are not standing up for WA. They are not being true to their convictions in Western Australia. They are pandering to those over here on the east coast who are not considering the livelihoods, the proud tradition and the care that has been taken on these properties and farms. It is absolutely shameful.

I am proud as a Western Australian to have stood today on that stage in front of that audience of those who made the effort to be here and make their voices heard. Your voices have been heard today, but unfortunately those on the other side are not listening, and the only way to remedy this is to see a coalition government returned so that we can reverse this shameful legislation.