Sheep Producers Australia pulls pin on live export program co-design

Sheep Producers Australia has told the Department of Agriculture it would no longer engage on the development of transition plans ahead of the end of the live export trade.

The federal government has already settled on an “internal” transition plan for Australia’s sheep industry leading up to the closure of the live export trade despite publicly seeking industry input, the peak body representing sheep farmers says.

In a private email to Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry staff leading the live sheep phase out, Sheep Producers Australia chief executive Bonnie Skinner said the organisation would no longer engage in the design of transition initiatives including the transition advocate role.

The transition advocate position was announced last month as a conduit between industry and government that would provide advice on how the transition was progressing.

Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said she would appoint a transition advocate this year, and potentially an advisory group to support them.

Sheep Producers Australia chief executive Bonnie Skinner says the peak industry group would stop communicating with the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on the design of the transition advocate role.

But Ms Skinner said the role lacked the ability to recommend changes to the government’s transition plan.

“For the role to be effective, it must be a genuine mechanism in helping the government fulfil its obligation to act in the best interests of both industry and regional communities when implementing policy.

“SPA has participated in these discussions in good faith … It is clear from your communication that the government has already established its own transition plan, without industry input,” Ms Skinner said in her email.

“We are unsure how the development of a separate industry transition plan would provide any real benefit to farmers and their businesses, given that the government has already settled on its investment approach under its internal transition plan.

“This advocate role is focused on facilitating the transition rather than directly supporting farmers, and so, we do not believe it is productive for us to continue discussions about the advocate role at this time,” she said.

The federal government is currently advertising its $139m support package for businesses impacted by the live sheep export closure legislated last year for May 1, 2028.

“Joint design of programs with industry will make sure the right programs are available in the right areas, to support decisions for your business,” the advertisement said.

But on Friday the Australia Livestock Exporters Council said it has declined to participate in the government’s “co-design” process for assistance measures over the next three years.

“At no stage during this term of government has there been a genuine intention to listen to national peak bodies on this policy that have been united in opposing it,” ALEC chief executive Mark Harvey-Sutton said.

ALEC has also called on other peak bodies not to engage in the co-design process that will determine how $45.5m is carved up for assistance programs, with the rollout beginning early this year.

When asked what industry groups were co-designing the assistance programs, a DAFF spokeswoman said “a wide range of peak bodies” had been invited, but did not name any specific organisation.