THE HON DAVID LITTLEPROUD MP
Leader of The Nationals
Shadow Agriculture Minister
8 October 2025
Live sheep export farmers forced to find $75,000 before Christmas for delayed assistance grants
Leader of The Nationals David Littleproud said Labor has no plan or explanation why farmers applying for Labor’s assistance grant will be forced to find up to $75,000 of their own money as a co-contribution before Christmas, in order to obtain financial help.
Mr Littleproud said the Albanese Government’s Farm Business Transition package is cruel and callous, designed to make farmers fail and be unable to meet the terms and conditions. The package also comes more than four years since Labor was first elected and said that they will ban the industry.
“The Farm Business Transition Grant requires farmers to match the payment – in other words – come up with up to $75,000 despite the fact our live sheep export farmers have just had their livelihoods ripped away and don’t have that kind of money,” Mr Littleproud said.
“Unfortunately at Senate Estimates, Labor couldn’t explain or answer how farmers will be able to suddenly have this money available to apply for a grant. Their lack of empathy, while blaming the poorly run and box-ticking Co-Design process, is not good enough.
“Labor knows it is spruiking a grant farmers can’t actually afford to apply for. The grant closes on December 1, so there simply isn’t enough time for farmers to find this kind of cash, especially in the lead up to Christmas.”
Mr Littleproud added a $2.2 million shearing industry allocation of funding is contemptuous.
“Shearers are hard workers, they just want to shear sheep, yet Labor can’t identify a new job for them when the trade shuts down. The way Labor is treating these workers is disgusting. They are getting a mere $2.2 million for ‘opportunities’ that don’t exist for them.
“Labor knows the live sheep export trade has no future and doesn’t care about our farmers. This is all about Labor buying votes in the inner-city seats, not helping farmers who need it.”
Senate Estimates confirmed that the stocktake report on how the transition is progressing is ‘intended’ to be released and made public next year. Concerningly, the stocktake will begin when impacted farmers are only potentially getting their first grant.
