On the back of allegations made last week that activists have offered a ship worker on a live export vessel money to produce footage that shows sheep onboard in distress, the Pastoralists and Graziers Association (PGA) has lodged a Freedom of Information (FOI) application.
This morning the PGA said the application was for all diary records and correspondence, including emails and text messages, between Federal Agriculture and Water Resources Minister David Littleproud, his staff, ministerial advisers and any third party relating to the live export of sheep from March 12, 2018 to August 20, 2018.
“The Western Australian sheep industry, and the Australian public deserve to know the level of influence animal activist lobby groups are having on our political policy framework, especially when it comes to the development of the latest Heat Stress Regulatory Assessment regulations, due to be implemented in the next few months,” said PGA president Tony Seabrook in this morning's statement.
"The PGA believes that there should be fair and open transparency into how many times animal activist groups have met with the minister’s office.”
More to come.