Bush Summit: Farmers ‘need funding’ to transition to live sheep ban, says Jackie Jarvis

West Australian Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis says the state’s wool producers are likely to struggle when the Albanese government’s live sheep export ban comes into effect.

WA Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis at the Bush Summit in Port Hedland on Friday. Picture: Colin Murty

West Australian Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis says the state’s wool producers are likely to struggle when the Albanese government’s live sheep export ban comes into effect but concedes it’s time to accept the decision and move towards a new model.

The Labor state minister has raised her concerns in Canberra about the Albanese government’s legislation outlawing the trade in 2028 and has called for better federal funding to support the WA sheep industry to transition to domestic processing.

It comes as farmers from around the country prepare to protest against the ban at a rally in Canberra next month and an industry campaign amasses a war chest to spend on anti-Labor adver­tising at the next federal election.

Speaking at The Australian’s Bush Summit at Port Hedland on Friday, Ms Jarvis said she was ­focused on trying to create a more optimistic future for sheep producers.

“I’ve discussed this with our counterparts in Canberra many times, they are certainly aware of our view,” Ms Jarvis said.

“We know that the legislation for the live sheep ban passed the Senate with the help of the crossbench and we want to move forward. I am concerned that our wool producers are going to struggle a bit, but I actually really want to work out what we can do to create a sense of optimism about our industry.”

While the nation’s live cattle exporters have shared fears that their trade will be next on the chopping block, Anthony Albanese’s special envoy for northern Australia, Territory MP Luke Gosling, said this week that the government supported a “thriving live cattle trade into the future”.

Patrick Gorman. Picture: Colin Murty

“I am really pleased that in recent weeks we’ve seen the federal government come out, and again today, about their support for the live cattle industry,” Ms Jarvis said. “Anyone who lives in the northwest knows the live cattle industry is key to our cattle industry here.”

Also speaking at the summit, Mr Albanese’s Assistant Minister Patrick Gorman defended the live sheep export ban, saying the trade had declined in the past two decades, and chilled and frozen meat markets provided new opportunities for sheep producers.

Australia exported about $410m worth of sheep meat last year.

“What we’ve been seeing for 20 years is a year-on-year decline in the live sheep export trade. That’s just a fact,” Mr Gorman said. “What we see is there’s a very big positive opportunity to manage that decline, rather than just to let it happen.”

According to Meat and Livestock Australia, live sheep exports by sea lifted 22 per cent or 107,191 head to 593,514 last year and were worth a combined $73m.

But despite the increase, the total number of sheep exported remained below the five-year average 771,849.

While noting that the phase-out would be “difficult”, Perth-based Mr Gorman said the government’s $107m support package for farmers and other supply chain participants would help them adjust.

“I think there’s a huge opportunity for the sheep meat industry … I just want to grab the opportunities that are there and manage something that has been happening in the trajectory for a number of years now,” he said. “Our transition package starts now. I think that’s the appropriate thing to do.”

Pastoralists and Graziers Association president Tony Seabrook said the ban was an example of governments not listening to the needs of rural Australia. “The harm that is done in the bush, it’s not just economic, there’s mental health, there’s just so much,” he said.

“It’s not just (affecting the) farmer, it might be the garage proprietor, the shearing contractor. The impact of what this government has done is horrendous.”