Albanese government defends live sheep export ban laws

The Albanese government has defended controversial legislation that bans the live export of sheep by sea and which has been slammed as destroying the livelihoods of thousands of farmers.

The federal government introduced laws to the lower house on Thursday that would commit to banning live exports by May 2028.

The legislation would still allow for live sheep to be exported but only by air, following animal welfare concerns.

Cattle would still be able to be exported by sea.

The government has set aside $107 million for about 3000 farmers in Western Australia who would be affected by the bans.

“The Australian sheep industry now has the time, support and certainty it needs to plan effectively for the future,” Agriculture Minister Murray Watt said.

Senator Watt said the bill locks in an end date to live sheep exports by sea and gets the transition funding package rolling.

“Funding from the Government will assist the supply chain to adapt to the phase out with more onshore processing and more value adding, together with action to enhance demand for sheep products domestically and overseas.”

But at a senate estimates session, Senator Watt was pressed on why almost half of the new money committed to agriculture in the federal budget would be spent shutting down an industry.

“It’s important that we provide a substantial amount of taxpayer funding for the transition for live sheep exports and that’s what we’ve done,” Senator Watt told the rural and regional affairs committee.

Nationals leader David Littleproud said that while the live export industry had committed mistakes in the past, it had implemented animal welfare reforms.

“It’s important that when a government is about to make such an important decision ... that they show them the respect, not the contempt they have shown these men and women , who have lawfully gone about their business,” he told parliament.

“Their livelihoods are being ripped away from them all because of ideology.”

The coalition has vowed to overturn the laws should it win the next election, with farmers from WA intent on making it a major election issue.

Senator Watt was quizzed on whether it was a good use of taxpayers’ money to fly to Perth with four staff to announce the live sheep export ban in early May when he did not meet with farmers on the ground.

He also defended his decision to hold an all-in briefing with animal activists and farmers on the morning he announced the timing of the ban.

“This was an issue that a very wide spectrum of people had an interest in, and that everyone deserved to know at the same time from me,” Senator Watt told the budget estimates hearing.

Activists have described the introduction of the legislation as an historic day for animal welfare.

“Ending the live sheep exports trade aligns with modern community expectations on how animals should be treated, not just in Australia but on a global scale,” Rebecca Linigen from Four Paws Australia said.

Labor pledged to end live sheep exports after more than 2000 sheep died from heat stress in 2017 while travelling on a ship from Australia to the Middle East.