With less than three weeks to run before the federal election, livestock producers have called for clarity on the Australian Labor Party's position on the export of live animals, particularly sheep.
Labor leader Anthony Albanese officially launched his party's campaign in Perth yesterday.
During the official launch, nothing was said about agriculture or animal welfare.
Labor took a policy to end live sheep exports to the 2019 federal election.
York Sheep farmer Peter Boyle, who produces animals to be sold to the live export market, said he believed during and in the lead-up to the election campaign that shadow minister for agriculture Julie Collins had been intentionally vague on the topic of sheep exports.
"I'd say she is going to phase it out, but she won't let us know," Mr Boyle said
"It will be wishy-washy until after the election, and then she'll do what she likes because she didn't commit to anything. That is the way it appears to be going," he said.
In a statement to the WA Country Hour, Ms Julie Collins said Labor had "no plans to change the live export of cattle" from Western Australia.
On sheep exports, the position is less clear.
Ms Collins said Labor supported the Morrison Government's draft report that recommended the current ban on live sheep exports to the Middle East during the Northern Hemisphere summer continue.
And she promised a broad animal welfare policy in the coming weeks.
Looking for information
Northern Territory Cattleman's Association chief executive Will Evans is waiting to read this policy.
"We'd like to see these things as early as possible, so we really have got an informed understanding of what is going to happen with potentially a change to a Labor government and at least give us the ability to choose between two different policy portfolios," Mr Evans said.
"We certainly have had some Labor figures reach out to us and start to reinforce that they are very supportive of the northern trade and very supportive of the cattle trade out of Darwin.
"I am not sure if that is a sign that maybe there is an announcement coming about sheep in Western Australia or not, I don't know.
"I think Labor needs to fork out and tell us exactly what they are thinking for agriculture and try to give us the ability to have an informed discussion before the election is actually done."
Actions of past governments leave stock producers wary
Following the 2011 federal government ban on the live export trade to Indonesia, many pastoralists like Mundabullangana (Munda) Station's Michael Thompson diversified their markets to reduce their exposure to the live export trade.
Still, the memory of the then-Labor government's decision, which in 2020 was deemed invalid by the Federal Court, has Mr Thompson wary of returning Labor to power.
"[Labor] proved in the past that they'll do whatever keeps them in power," Mr Thompson said.
"I'd be really untrusting of a Labor government getting into power again and saying that it wouldn't ban live export again," he said.
"I'm not saying [Labor] would – I just wouldn't trust them.
"I just don't need to worry about that at the moment when I'm in drought."
The cost of the export industry's class action against the federal government is expected to be more than $800 million, which Mr Thompson said was important for voters to be aware of.
Littleproud calls for detail
Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said his government had implemented industry reform in response to damning footage of the Awassi express.
He expects the Labor party to walk away from live export.
"They don't want to be honest to Western Australians because Western Australians are the ones that are going to cop this the most," Mr Littleproud said.
"The farmers out there, the trucking companies, it is not just that the exporters are going to hurt.
"It is the whole supply chain, and they are not being honest with Western Australians. They are not looking them in the eye and saying we're going to support this."
Live export not the main game: WA Labor
In Western Australia, Labor state government Minister for Agriculture Alannah MacTiernan said local processing was as important as live export.
"I think the future is incredibly bright. But we have got to have a really positive approach to the rearing of animals that animal welfare is absolutely essential to the long-term future of this industry," Ms MacTiernan said.
"We are seeing at this point in time that live export plays a role, but it is not by any means the main game for this industry."
Additional reporting by Angus Mackintosh
