The Australian Livestock Exporters' Council have reacted strongly to comments reaffirming the Albanese Government's commitment to ban live sheep exports, labeling the move a dangerous precedent.
ALEC was reacting to comments in Senate Estimates by the Federal Minister for Agriculture, Senator Hon Murray Watt this week in support of the ban. Minister Watt also conceded there had been "some improvements" on mortality rates.
Liberal Senator Slade Brockman accused Minister Watt of ignoring changes by sheep exporters over the past thirty years, and not making decisions based on science.
Senator Brockman is from Western Australia, the state responsible for the vast majority of Australia's live sheep exports.
He said Senator Watt was underestimating the "dramatic improvements" made by the industry.
The Agriculture Minister repeated his government's commitment to phasing out live sheep exports saying data indicated an industry in decline as live sheep exports had dropped from 1.9 million in 2017/2018 to around half a million in 2022.
ALEC CEO Mark Harvey-Sutton said the phase out policy was unwarranted and risked causing economic problems for Australia's producers and their overseas trading partners.
"This reform has been recognised by the Western Australian Premier and the Western Australian Agriculture Minister.
"The improvements the industry has made have been recognised and acknowledged by Minister Watt."
At the Senate Estimates hearing, Minister Watt conceded there had been "some improvements" on mortality rates.
"There is clear evidence of this reform and Western Australian producers must be mortified that their industry is being dictated by an east coast agenda."
"Stating that an industry should be shut down due to past social licence challenges is an alarming precedent that should concern every agricultural industry in Australia."
"The industry's performance has been outstanding and speaks for itself."
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Mr Harvey-Sutton said the policy was unnecessary and failed to acknowledge the importance of the industry to the livestock supply chain of people and Australia's trading partners.
"This policy is unnecessary, and we do not support it," Mr Harvey-Sutton said.
"This is an industry that has reformed and supports thousands of workers in rural Western Australia and this move would threaten 3000 jobs within the supply chain locally."
Senator Watt said Australia was among a group of agricultural producers who had made animal welfare a priority.
He denied the policy to ban live sheep exports was based on public opinion polls and said he had been surprised at how frequently he was asked about animal welfare during his recent trip to Europe and the United Kingdom.
"I think Australian producers do have a good record on animal welfare but we're going to have to keep improving because the world and the market is demanding it," Senator Watt said.
ALEC said forecasts for 2023 indicated that the industry would grow and that demand for high quality sheepmeat will continue in emerging markets and that the industry knows that their preference remains to import Australian livestock due their quality and disease-free status.
"Competition in the market is important for growing Australia's national sheep industry which yesterday recorded it highest numbers in 15 years - reaching 77 million," Mr Harvey-Sutton said..
"Those sheep need markets and our trading partners continue to have a preference for livestock ahead of chilled and frozen meat.
"It is natural that they look for alternatives given the uncertainty this policy creates, but our industry knows that their preference remains to import Australian livestock due their quality and disease-free status.
"To say otherwise fails to recognise the dynamics of those markets and Australia's longstanding partnership with them."
ALEC said they continue to have a constructive working relationship with Minister Watt and acknowledge his commitment to make a decision based on science and evidence and in consultation with industry.
"We will be presenting evidence that the policy is unnecessary and that a transition to other markets is not possible in the forthcoming consultation process," Mr Harvey-Sutton said.
