Live sheep ban saga sparks Labor government takedown plan

An initial meeting was held in Perth on Wednesday to come up with a plan for a targeted campaign that will attempt to sway public opinion in key, marginal seats ahead of the next federal election.

With the election due to take place by September 2025, a change to a Coalition government is seen by some as the best hope at seeing the plan to phase out the live sheep trade scrapped.

The campaign will be designed to "inflict maximum damage" to the government's public perception, with a particular focus on the impacts of the live sheep ban.

Strategies could include billboards, social media and newspaper and television advertisements.

It's understood the meeting included representatives from the Australian Livestock Exporters Council and prominent farming figures from WA, with plans to bring other stakeholders into the loop.

The group also plans to focus other agricultural issues where they feel the federal government is out of step with farmers' needs, such as chemical use, on-farm animal welfare and live cattle exports.

The move comes five months after an independent phase out panel delivered its report to the government, with no word yet on when that report might be released.

Even as industry awaits the report's release to find out what the phase out panel has advised, Labor has said it will stick by its policy to end the trade.

Industry stakeholders have repeatedly voiced concerns about the effect that the end of the trade will have on farmers and regional economies.

In November the National Farmers Federation used billboards and other advertising in inner city Perth in an attempt to influence metropolitan voters around the issue.

It's understood that while this new campaign will target the federal government, the WA state government may also be put under scrutiny.