Future of WA’s sheep industry sparks debate as House of Representative inquiry into live export Bill starts

A heated debate around the future of WA’s sheep industry has broken out as peak bodies for Australian vets, farmers, and live exporters provided evidence to a parliamentary inquiry into Federal Labor’s live sheep export ban. The snap inquiry held its first hearing in Canberra on Wednesday. A second will be held in Northam on Friday before the committee reports back next week. Australian Veterinary Association’s head of policy Melanie Latter told MPs of the group’s strong support for slaughtering animals as close to production as possible to prevent the stress of travel and handling. However, she said it represented a “broad church” of veterinarians who both support and oppose the live export ban, and that the AVA would remain neutral on the phase-out. While organisations such as the National Farmers Federation painted a grim picture for the future of WA’s sheep industry, the committee grilled these groups on what support was being given to farmers to prepare for the phase-out transition and whether farmers were aware of the opportunities in the boxed meat trade. MPs also mentioned the decline of the live sheep trade over the past decade. National Farmers Federation deputy chief executive Charlie Thomas slammed the Government for treating WA sheep farmers with “absolute contempt”. “We had to fight each step of the way for affected producers to have a fair hearing with the independent panel,” he said. “We saw industry advice to that panel go unheeded in its final report. “Then we saw the minister go even further – rejecting key elements of the panel’s advice to adopt a plan even more radical than that of the panel.” Mr Thomas criticised the inquiry’s short timeframe that gave farmers and other stakeholders just seven days to write and submit their input on the live export ban. The Australian Livestock Exporters Council also criticised the process, with chair David Galvin saying the limited examination was a “ruse” to prevent a full Senate inquiry. “In short, we expect this hearing to be a complete waste of everyone’s time and a recommendation to pass the legislation from this committee is a fait accompli,” he said. In Senate estimates on May 31, WA senator Slade Brockman asked Agriculture Minister Murray Watt to confirm if there would be a Senate inquiry. The minister replied that “of course, there’ll need to be an inquiry”, but has since copped criticism for instead allowing a lower house committee to look at the legislation. Committee chair Meryl Swanson defended the group’s ability to thoroughly conduct its investigation. “We (the committee) are as qualified as anyone to interrogate this bill,” She said.