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Statement - ALEC declines position in Government ‘co-design’ process
In a response to the Government today, the Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council has formally declined to participate in the Government’s ‘co-design’ process to assist in implementing its Phase Out of Live Sheep Exports by Sea policy.
Read the full correspondence to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry below:
Dear [Department Executive]
Thank you for your email. We acknowledge that DAFF does not have a choice whether to implement the policies of the government of the day, no matter how flawed those policies may be.
We continue to be opposed to this harmful policy and consider there is no benefit in participating in this process – it is simply a waste of time and departmental resources, and we refuse to legitimise it. At no stage during this term of Government has there been a genuine intention to listen to national peak bodies on this policy that have been united in opposing it – why would the government start genuinely listening now?
In ALEC’s view, this is another example of the Government showing how clueless they are as, at the 11th hour before an election, they are desperately turning towards industry seeking answers to a problem of their own creation. The government has claimed to have all the answers since this ban was initiated, but this process shows they are deeply bereft of any practical solutions to the mess they have created.
The Government has consistently low-balled the value of this industry and the wide-ranging repercussions banning it will have. To ask industry to co-design how to divvy up a meagre $45m is undignified and is essentially a process of destroying rural businesses and communities and then asking them to fight over the loose change left over.
ALEC will never concede on the fact that live sheep exports is a legitimate and important industry for the Australian sheep industry and the food security of our trading partners. The number of markets it supplies is continuing to grow. As an industry it has a positive impact on animal welfare and is broadly supported by the community, despite the rhetoric of this government - which is cut and paste directly from activist briefings.
We will also be calling on all other organisations to not participate in this process if they feel that it is possible. Sadly, some will feel compelled as they feel they do not have any choice, given the harm this policy is causing, and they will seek to salvage what they can for their members.
I also like to add, I hope that within your definition of peak councils, you are not including animal activist groups. When Minister Watt announced the phaseout in May 2024 he did so to a group of ‘peak councils’ including those groups. There were farmers on that call that had to hear their livelihoods were being taken away from them with an audience of activists watching. It would be egregious if this situation was going to be replicated again. These groups have no place being participants in your process.
Yours sincerely
Mark Harvey-Sutton
CEO, Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council