Election 2022: Labor confirms phase out of live sheep exports

Labor attempted to ban live sheep exports in lead-up to 2019 federal election and three years later is back for another shot.

Australia’s lucrative live sheep export industry will end if Labor is elected to power at this month’s federal election.

Shadow Agriculture Minister Julie Collins has repeatedly refused to state whether Labor would shut down the live sheep trade in a policy it took to the 2019 election.

But late today, Labor confirmed it would “phase out” live sheep exports in consultation with industry.

Labor claimed it had been on the wane for more than two decades.

Shadow Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins.

“An elected Albanese Labor Government will phase out live sheep exports in consultation with the industry and the West Australian Government on what needs to happen given this decline,” a Labor spokesman said.

“This includes consideration of the impacts for the entire value chain of the industry.

“Labor supports value adding more here in Australia to create more job opportunities.

“Labor has no plans to change the live export of cattle and we will continue to support this important industry.”

Federal Agrilculture Minister David Litttleproud said Labor’s proposal would destroy jobs.

“Australian farmers have been given a glimpse of how they’ll be treated under an Albanese Labor Government hearing they’ve lost their livelihoods after activists are told,” Mr Littleproud said.

“I’m proud to have reformed the industry and I’ll continue to back West Australian farmers, while Labor is again prepared to destroy this time 3000 people’s jobs.”

Animal welfare protesters at a rally in front of the Al Kuwait live export ship in Fremantle in 2020. (AAP Image/Richard Wainwright)

Australia’s live sheep export industry is valued at close to $100 million annually with most sheep exported from Western Australia.