Live sheep export transition package criticised in Parliament for dollar-for-dollar application condition

A Federal Opposition MP has labelled the dollar-for-dollar condition of the Albanese Government’s $139 million live sheep export transition package “total bulls..t”. The first two of four programs aimed to help those impacted by the Albanese Government’s plan to ban live sheep exports by May 2028 opened in September — the $40m Supply Chain Capacity Program, and the $4.4m Enhancing Market Demand Grants Program. The second two programs — the $1.5m Livestock Industry Transition Program and the $30m Farm Business Transition Program — opened for applications on October 7. But farmers and livestock transport businesses planning on accessing the latter two grants were left shellshocked when they realised they would have to cough up tens of thousands of dollars to receive a cent from the Federal Government. Up to $75,000 per applicant is available through the Farm Business Transition Program, which was designed to help sheep producers transition away from the live export trade by supporting new business plans or alternative farming practices. Up to $40,000 per applicant is available through the Livestock Transport Industry Program, targeted at trucking companies who service the industry. But successful applicants will need to match the value of the approved amount — dollar-for-dollar — to get the grant, with applications for both programs closing on December 1. The first round of the Farm Business Transition Program will have a grant pool of $20m available, and the second — the Livestock Transport Industry Transition Program, which will be made available in 2026 — will have $10m available. The conditional aspect drew the ire of Queensland Senator Matt Canavan who scrutinised the announcement in Senate Estimates and also accused the Government of short-changing sheep producers with a grant process that failed to identify future jobs for shearers. “These guys just want to shear sheep — that’s what they’re good at,” he said. “I mean, it is unbelievable that we’re throwing these . . . these people are hardworking people and probably work harder than anybody in the country, and you can’t even identify a job that they’re going to have or an opportunity. “The way we’re treating these workers is absolute crap, absolutely crap — these people are just trying to do a job. “It’s bulls..t. It is total bulls..t.” From the transition packages’ $1.5m Community Wellbeing Program, $800,000 has been awarded to Sheep Producers Australia, $2.2m to the WA Shearing Industry Association, almost $400,000 to Holyoake, $825,254 to Rural Aid, and $278,156 to the Blue Tree Project. In a statement, Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said the grant programs represented the Albanese Government’s commitment to an “orderly phase-out” of live sheep exports. “The grants will help business move into alternative sources of revenue and I encourage WA farmers to take advantage of these new opportunities,” she said. “I am also pleased funding is rolling out under the Community Wellbeing Program which will help support connection and resilience in communities across the sheep producing regions of WA.” Nationals leader and Federal shadow agriculture minister David Littleproud was also critical of the package, and said that farmers would struggle to meet the terms and conditions of the assistance funding. He said the short deadline of December 1 for the Farm Business Transition Program and the Livestock Transport Industry Program left farmers with little time to “find this kind of cash” for the grant package. Speaking to the ABC, transition advocate Dr Chris Rodwell said although sheep producers continued to be “very clear” about their public opposition to the policy they had been engaged in moving forward “as best they can”. “They have seen a need for a united industry strategy that incorporates both sheep, meat and wool, that really paints a very clear picture around opportunity for the sector moving forward, how we can capture value nationally to address market opportunities,” he said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese first took a plan to ban live sheep exports to the May 2022 Federal election and again at the May 2025 election, with legislation now passed and the ban set to come into effect from May 2028. To find out more or apply for a grant, visit agriculture.gov.au.