Election 2022: Federal and WA Labor disagree on live sheep export ban

Federal Labor wants to ban live sheep exports but the state with the most to lose from the move has pushed back.

Federal Labor has made a stunning backflip on a decision to shut down the live sheep export industry after push-back from West Australian Premier Mark McGowan, whose state had the most to lose from the move.

Labor announced the industry, worth about $100m annually and employing 3000 people, would be phased out.

Labor hadn’t committed to a timeline for the change.

“No, we won’t (commit to a timeline) and we haven’t in our policy,” Mr Alanese said on Friday.

“Our policy’s changed.

“The amount of live exports has halved in recent times and we will continue the summer ban, but we’ll consult with state governments, in particular the West Australian state government, but we will also consult with the agricultural sector about the issues around live sheep export.”

Mr McGowan said on the same day the federal policy was announced he felt safeguards including suspension of exports in the northern summer and additional vet checks had proved successful.

The majority of the 600,000 sheep exported annually were from Western Australia.

Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud seized on the “policy confusion” from Labor.

Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud.

“There is policy confusion in a time when what all Australians want is certainty, particularly in the agricultural sector,” Mr Littleproud said on Friday.

“They want the government out of their lives.

“(The live sheep export industry) is not declining.

“It’s gone from over $90 million last year to $107 million this year and $119 million next year.

“The reason it had gone was down because of this thing called a drought.

“You need to understand that our national herd reduced, but if you aren’t interested then you don’t make the right decision.”

Federal Labor leader Anthony Albanese. Picture: Liam Kidston

Western Australian Farmers Federation president John Hassell said animal activists had driven the revisit of the policy Labor took to the 2019 election,

He congratulated Mr McGowan for the apparent pressure he had put on Federal Labor for the sudden change.

“If he did (intervene) I am very pleased that he did,” Mr Hassell said.

“If they succeed in doing away with the live sheep trade, they will move onto the live cattle trade and then they will try and stop you from running sheep on your farm.”

Mr Hassell acknowledged problems had existed with live sheep exports, but they had been rectified.

“There is not a single farmer who wants to see their animals treated poorly,” he said.

“We don’t like to see poor animal welfare outcomes and we’re strongly of the view you fix the problem rather than throw the baby out with the bath water.

“All it will succeed in doing is exporting animal welfare issues off Australian shores.”