News

NSW inquiry shows that concern about live sheep ban a national issue

The Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council said that the Parliament of New South Wales’ new inquiry into the Impact of the phase out of Australian live sheep exports by sea on NSW demonstrated that farmers across Australia were concerned by impacts to the industry and that it was not confined to Western Australia.

CEO Mark Harvey-Sutton said that despite the Federal government trying ring fence the issue to WA, the impacts would be felt across the country.

“We have repeatedly told the federal government in all our representations against the ban that this was an issue that would cause knock-on effects for farmers in other states and be devastating to the sheep and wool industry in the long term.”

“NSW Farmers, AgForce (QLD), Victorian Farmers Federation and Livestock SA all wrote to the former Minister, Murray Watt to warn him of these dangers. The government knew this would cause problems and pushed ahead with the ban anyway,” he said.

Mr Harvey-Sutton said he hoped the inquiry would examine those items that were ignored by the federal government in its rushed process, like the impacts to farmers around the country.

“It’s a shame that it has taken so long for an acknowledgement that the sheep industry is national and that restocking from different states is a required part of the industry and live exports play an important role in that.”

“The examination of the impacts on the community and the social damage that will result is also crucial, given the federal government has ignored it.”

MEDIA

0491 276 036   media@livexcouncil.com.au