Nationals leader David Littleproud urges agriculture sector to unite in opposition to live sheep shutdown

The entire agriculture sector is being urged to unite against the Federal Government over the planned shutdown of the live sheep export trade. Nationals leader David Littleproud wants farmers to march on the steps of Parliament House in Canberra in a show of defiance against a decision he described as an “affront to agriculture”. “If you don’t stand together and come and fight this mob, then you’re going to get what you deserve,” Mr Littleproud told The West Australian. “There’s no point protesting in Katanning or protesting in Deniliquin . . . they need to come to Canberra and they need to show the militancy of Australian agriculture.” The fighting words pour fuel on a fire that has ignited after Agriculture Minister Murray Watt announced May 1, 2028, as the end of the line for WA’s live sheep export trade. Mr Littleproud has repeated the Coalition’s promise to reverse Labor’s decision if it returns to power, positioning the future of the sheep industry as a battleground issue in WA at the next Federal election. The West can reveal a new entity made up of WA farming groups will be unveiled as soon as next week as part of a co-ordinated industry campaign against the phase out. WAFarmers president John Hassell said the group would emphasize the message that every industry and business was now “up for grabs for activists.” It came as Esperance-based grower and producer group ASHEEP & BEEF published an open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Senator Watt expressing disgust at Labor’s “aggression” towards the State’s rural businesses and communities. “Your plan is a persecution of hard working, good people, who do not deserve this treatment,” the letter reads. Senator Watt appeared on local radio on Monday to defend the phase-out and the $107 million industry transition package, which is designed, in part, to help producers boost processing capacity. The Federal Government insists the live export trade is in terminal decline, pointing to a fall in the value of exports from $415 million in 2002-2003 to $77m in 2023. But Mr Littleproud said the decision was purely ideological. “East Coast politicians just need to wake up to themselves and understand Western Australia is better than anyone else in the world (at live sheep exports), and we should get the hell out of their life,” he said. The former agriculture minister claimed countries such as Kuwait — the largest importer of live sheep from Australia — would not accept processed meat if the supply of live sheep stopped. Senator Watt dismissed the claim. “In my multiple meetings with the Kuwaiti ambassador, including in recent days, as well as with the relevant Kuwaiti minister and our representatives in the country, no one has ever said they will not take Australian sheep meat,” he said. Kuwait last year imported $65.9m in Australia sheep meat, compared to $35m in live sheep. Responding to Mr Littleproud’s rallying cry to the agriculture sector, Senator Watt said his preference was to work with the sector. “The National Party oversaw the long-term decline of the live sheep industry,” he said. “While Mr Littleproud would always prefer to fight, my preference is to help the industry get their fair share of the booming sheep meat market.” Mr Littleproud has vowed not to negotiate with the Federal Government on legislation to ban the trade, even though that would force Labor into talks with the Greens. The left-wing party is already pushing for an earlier shutdown date. “I don’t intend to compromise. We will be voting against this,” he said. Fremantle MP Josh Wilson, Labor’s strongest advocate for ending live sheep exports, said there was strong support in Perth and regional WA to transition out of the “harmful and virtually defunct” industry.