Farmers walk out on Agriculture Minister’s Budget Breakfast speech

The National Farmers’ Federation and other industry representatives have staged an
unprecedented walk-out during Agriculture Minister’s Murray Watt post-Budget speech
today.
New South Wales Farmers President Xavier Martin told Minister Watt his decision to ban
live sheep was “absolutely shameful” in a public spray as he exited Crop Life Australia’s
Budget Breakfast.
Leader of The Nationals David Littleproud said the chaotic scenes were embarrassing and
Labor’s own making, after Minister Watt had left the industry with no confidence in the
Budget and committed to phasing out the live sheep export industry, destroying 3000
livelihoods in the process.
Mr Littleproud said he was dismayed that instead of listening, Minister Watt joked about
the topic, telling the audience, “just as well I didn’t talk about it earlier in the speech”.
“Australia’s farmers are in despair and desperate for help but they are getting treated with
contempt by an out-of-touch Labor Government and an Agriculture Minister who couldn’t
give a rats about the industry,” Mr Littleproud said.
“The walk-out this morning by our nation’s farmers – those who clothe and feed us – was an
act of frustration and a reaction to a Government who won’t listen and doesn’t understand
how agriculture works.”
Minister Watt announced Labor would phase out the live sheep export industry by May 1,
2028, just days prior to the Budget.
“Minister Watt didn’t even have the courage to fly to Western Australia and face farmers,
instead announcing from a high-rise in Perth, it’s just a big ‘up yours’ to Western Australian
farmers.
“Industry has never had the science explained to them why they are closing the industry
down. Compensation of just $64.6 million is an insult, especially when Meat and Livestock Australia figures show live sheep exports were 84,430 in December 2023, which was a 177
per cent increase in comparison with November export (58,732) and a 44 per cent increase
on December 2022 exports (30,531).
“The legislation will be introduced in this term of Parliament, even though the industry
embraced world leading animal welfare reforms in 2019, not only in transport but also the
processing of sheep in the Middle East.”
Mr Littleproud said this decision will see the needless death of thousands of sheep from
around the world, as countries that take up this market from Australia do not meet our
world leading animal welfare standards, which makes this decision perverse.
A 230-page independent panel report into the phase out was also released, after Labor hid
it behind Cabinet-in-Confidence for more than six months and just days after Prime Minister
Anthony Albanese and Minister Watt visited Beef2024 in Rockhampton, Queensland.
“Farmers don’t want compensation, they just want to continue to lead the world in animal
welfare and work with an Agricultural Minister who will actually work with the industry, not
against it. A future Coalition Government will reinstate the live sheep export trade.”