Live export: Farmers demand Senate probe into ban after Lower House inquiry labelled a ‘sham’

Pressure is mounting on Federal Labor to launch a Senate probe into its Bill to ban live sheep exports, with the Opposition and farming groups calling a parliamentary inquiry that ended last week a “sham”. The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Agriculture carried out the hastily convened inquiry and handed down its report on Friday after receiving thousands of submissions. The committee’s report recommended the Ending Live Sheep Exports by Sea Bill — introduced in the Lower House earlier this month — be passed, sparking outrage. Pastoralists and Graziers Association of WA president Tony Seabrook said the three-week inquiry was “a waste of time”. “I said it was a sham inquiry a week before it happened,” he told Countryman. “If anyone thought the minister was going to read any of those submissions and say ‘oh my gosh, I’ve made a mistake, I’ve changed by mind’, they would’ve had to have been very optimistic. “We are going to do whatever we can to push it into a Senate inquiry.” Senator Murray Watt initially promised to hold a Senate inquiry after questioning from Liberal Senator for WA Slade Brockman during a May 30 Senate Estimates hearing. But just a few days later Senator Watt assigned the job to the Lower House committee chaired by Labor MP Meryl Swanson. Senator Brockman on Monday renewed calls for a full inquiry in the Upper House. “Minister Watt gave that commitment to me… a few short weeks ago,” he said. “Given the importance of this issue, not just to sheep producers in WA, but to the whole agriculture sector and beyond, a thorough and comprehensive inquiry into the ban must be undertaken through the Senate committee system.” Two public hearings — in Canberra and Northam — were conducted as part of the Lower House inquiry, with stakeholders given just seven days to prepare their submissions. Senator Brockman said more hearings were needed across regional WA, in South Australia, the Eastern States and the Northern Territory, where producers are still seeking compensation for the Gillard Government’s 2011 snap ban on cattle exports. Coalition members including Federal Nationals leader David Littleproud — who described the Lower House inquiry as “rushed”, “disingenuous” and a “sham” — are also demanding a Senate inquiry. “The only reason he (Senator Watt) doesn’t want to go on (with) the Senate inquiry is because he fears… that will determine whether this gets through as legislation,” Mr Littleproud told reporters in Perth. “He doesn’t want them over here understanding the industry, getting an education… from Western Australians about this.” WAFarmers president John Hassell, who is also the National Farmers’ Federation vice-president, labelled the inquiry “a disgrace” with a “pre-ordained outcome” . “What this is trying to do is absolve Murray Watt of having a Senate inquiry, and that’s just not good enough, because it’s not been done properly,” Mr Hassell told Countryman. “It’s a little flimflam wash over the issue, rather than actually delving in and seeing what the real outcome of his legislation is going to be.” NFF acting chief executive Charlie Thomas said the national peak body would continue pressuring the Albanese Government to “make good on its commitment”. “This is clearly an incredibly complex and contested issue with a lot to unpack. We call on all senators to urgently refer this to a committee so that scrutiny can get under way,” Mr Thomas said. “Thirteen thousand submissions were received. Thousands of those haven’t even been processed. Questions on notice have gone unanswered. This report is nothing but a political hit and run on the hard-working people whose livelihoods are at stake.” Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council chief executive Mark Harvey-Sutton called the inquiry “unjust” and “a farce”. “The Senate is the parliamentary mechanism designed to keep the government of the day honest and protect the rights of States,” he said. “Farmers urgently need the Senate to do what the Government won’t — stand up for fairness and good governance. “We appeal to all senators to scrutinise this bad Bill and ultimately throw it in the bin where it belongs.” In a statement issued Friday, Senator Watt thanked the committee for its “hard work” in undertaking the inquiry. In response to questions from Countryman, a spokesman for the minister said: “Whether a Senate inquiry is held on any piece of legislation is a matter for the Senate.”