Brookton farmer Mark Blechynden tells MPs to leave live export alone

We have complied with everything the government has requested - and more - for the welfare of our sheep.

We, along with other producers, are the "best in the world" at what we do, in terms of breeding, rearing and animal welfare.

It concerns me immensely that someone far away both geographically and emotionally, can make uninformed, political decisions about someone's livelihood, without taking into consideration the ramifications that ultimately ensue.

Surely if the Federal government wishes the live export trade to cease, they should have been proactive and built the abattoirs that would process our sheep, find the workers to staff them, pay us equal or better than we receive for our sheep now and explore markets for our processed meat.

Australia would then own a very valuable asset providing jobs and a market for our wethers.

Another point is that maybe some people's opinions should not count for quite as much as others.

While I respect and welcome everyone's right to an opinion, I believe the people whom a decision affects the most should be the ones who's opinion means the most.

Not the uninformed minority making the most noise.

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Just as I have an opinion on where my taxes should be spent.

"Not" a new stadium in the city, "not" a railway line to the airport or a new freeway.

I am clever enough to realise that my opinion doesn't count for as much as the people that live there and benefit from these projects.

Therefore agricultural decisions should be left to the agricultural industry and those whose livelihoods depend on it and should be fully supported by government.

I hope that people read this and perhaps takes some insight from it.

Put all the politics and bureaucracy aside and leave us to do what we do best, provide food and fibre for the world's population.