Live sheep export ban could cost WA economy $128m

There are fears the planned phase out of live sheep exports could cost the West Australian economy between $39 million and $128 million over 20 years.

A report commissioned by the North Eastern Wheatbelt Region of Councils (NEWROC), which represents seven local government areas, has been released to coincide with a visit by a delegation of councillors to Canberra.

“We’re meeting with members of parliament on all sides so that we can share the study and the impact of this policy,” NEWROC representative Caroline Robinson, who is also a sheep exporter, told AAP.

“Communities are heavily reliant on agriculture ... and it’s very difficult to pull a policy like this (live sheep exports) out of the market and not affect other industries.”

Ms Robinson said the visit to the nation’s capital was part of a last-minute plea to Labor not to ban the live sheep export trade.

The federal government has promised to phase out live sheep exports by sea after its first term of government.

Agriculture Minister Murray Watt has so far declined to meet with the group.

“We’ve got no other alternative markets. It’s horrible,” Ms Robinson said.

An independent panel investigating the impact of phasing out live sheep exports delivered its findings to the agriculture minister in October, but the report hasn’t been made public.

“We have always promised a considered and orderly transition, a point I have repeated in every meeting I have had with WA sheep producers and their representatives,” Senator Watt said.

“We want to see the sheep industry in the west continue to thrive, built on more onshore processing jobs and increasing sheep meat exports.”

Ms Robinson said WA Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis was not doing enough to advocate for the state’s sheep industry.

“She should be advocating harder to her federal counterparts.”

Ms Jarvis said she planned to meet with NEWROC in the coming weeks to discuss the report.

“I will continue to fight for the best possible deal for our sheep industry in Western Australia,” Ms Jarvis told AAP.

Nationals leader David Littleproud said the report showed “there is no scientific or economic justification for federal Labor to shut down the live sheep export industry”.

“This latest report only reinforces the Nationals’ position that we will continue the trade when re-elected,” he said.

Farming groups continue to lobby the government not to phase out live sheep exports.

In September, 23 farming groups wrote to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese warning the ban will cause “irreversible harm” to agriculture and trade with the Middle East.

The report found the impact of the proposed export ban was already being felt, and would be being factored into flock management decisions.

The analysis from economic consultants Econosis concluded the losses would require significant investment and compensation from the Australian government.