Farmers to head to Canberra in protest

Angered farmers are recruiting for what is being billed as the industry’s largest protest in five decades on the steps of Parliament House.

Angered farmers are recruiting for what is being billed as the industry’s largest protest in five decades.

Western Australia’s Keep the Sheep movement is expanding its political activism beyond the federal government’s live sheep export ban to address what some have described as a “culture of malaise” within the Albanese government towards agriculture.

“This is a call to arms for Australia’s agriculture industry. We cannot sit by while the current Albanese Government destroys our industry and regional communities,” a widely circulated message from the group said.

“We have been silent for too long while Anthony Albanese and his Labor mates have ignored us, disrespected our industry bodies and chosen to listen to animal activist groups.

“We need a fleet of trucks and vehicles as part of a rolling convoy into Canberra and around Parliament House. We also need thousands of people to attend the National Rally on the steps of Parliament House to deliver our message that they continue to ignore us at their own peril.

The rally will be held on September 10 at the steps of Parliament House in Canberra.

Western Australian livestock truckie Ben Sutherland started the rapidly growing political campaign, Keep the Sheep, which is behind the September 10 rally.

Keep the Sheep spokesman Ben Sutherland said farmers feared the federal government would not stop at live sheep exports, but eventually extend the ban to cattle.

This is against a backdrop of large scale water buybacks as Water and Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek goes about clawing back 450GL of water for the environment from the Murray Darling Basin, and a failed attempt earlier this year to introduce a new levy on farmers to collect $50 million annually to fund “at the border” biosecurity activities.

“Farmers and the broader industry will be converging on Canberra in a protest not seen in 50 years,” Mr Sutherland said.

“Live export is not the only agriculture industry being ignored by the government. That’s why we’re calling on all ag and related industries to join us and make their voices heard.”

The Biosecurity Levy was voted down in the Senate after significant push back from farming groups, who cited the injustice of funding activities that they play no role in introducing, a lack of consultation and what appeared to be policy on the run.

The last time farmers took to Canberra to protest en masse was in 1985 over interest rate hikes.