Live sheep export final consultation sees industry and activists compete for panel's attention

The final consultation meeting with the independent panel appointed to consult with stakeholders on the phase out of live sheep exports by sea was held at Tech Park at Bentley, in Perth, on Friday, June 23.

About 200 people were packed into the meeting room, seeing producers, exporters, stock agents, community members and animal activists sitting next to one another.

Mr Glyde said it was definitely the most emotionally charged of all the consultation meetings, which about 2000 people have attended across the two series of regional and Perth consultations.

"For the first time in our meetings like this, the large public meetings, we have had both sides of the debate in the room at the same time,'' Mr Glyde said.

"It was understandable given that this is such an emotional issue, such a controversial issue, so it was understandable there would be some tempers."

The activists stood in a blockade at the doors of the venue making attendees filter through the centre of their protest and there was an obvious police presence to ensure interactions remained calm.

"We heard a lot," Mr Glyde said.

"We got a lot out of what was said.

"We have now interacted with more than 2000 people through WA as a result of this week and the previous week we had, going around regional WA and the week prior to that in Perth."

The panel was appointed by Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister Murray Watt to provide advice on how and when the Australian Government can give effect to a phase out of live sheep exports by sea.

More than 80 separate face-to-face and virtual meetings have been held with industry and stakeholders since March.

All feedback is being considered by the independent panel, which is now preparing a report for the minister.

The panel is considering:

- Potential mechanisms to phase out live sheep exports by sea.

- A suggested timeframe and options for implementation.

- Potential ways to support the transition, including, but not limited to, consideration of markets, processing facilities and other opportunities.

Since March, the panel has received more than 4100 submissions, including more than 800 written submissions and more than 3300 survey responses.

To supplement this input, the panel is also obtaining specialist economic advice from Episode 3.

Mr Glyde said that stakeholders incorporated anyone with an interest in this issue, it was not specific to those who would be economically affected by the phase-out of the trade.

He also said that while Australian Wool Innovation, Meat and Livestock Australia, LiveCorp and Australian Meat Processing Council were not able to comment due to the politics of the situation, they were all research and development groups and had made submissions to and met with the panel.

"Their submissions will be hugely useful for us," Mr Glyde said.

He would not comment on Mr Watt not having attended any face-to-face meetings, but reiterated that was the job of the panel and they were on-task to have their report to the minister prepared and ready for the September 30 deadline.

"We have certainly got a lot to go through," Mr Glyde said.

"At this stage we think we can make the September 30 deadline.

"We are also acutely conscious that if we don't make that deadline we are continuing on a lot of the uncertainty in the industry."

The uncertainty surrounding the industry and the erosion of confidence that has occurred since the announcement of the policy was an undeniable factor across all the meetings.

The Nationals WA member for the Central Wheatbelt Mia Davies drew on a lot of the emotion she has seen from her constituents and addressed the panel with some points that garnered her a standing ovation from most people in the room.

"Everyone that has spoken from the industry today is actually far more qualified than me," Ms Davies said.

"Plan A for me is that this doesn't end.

"Plan B is, I want to know what you are going to do in the short-term?

"Because there are people destocking already.

"There will not be a sheep industry in WA.

"So if one of your strategies is, we need to increase domestic processing, there will not be time to build that capacity because these business people will make a decision based on risk and they will exit the industry."

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She said she also wanted to know what the panel was going to do in terms of transitional funding for the rural communities she represents, of which the sheep industry was the cornerstone.

"I am watching a government, in Manjimup and Pemberton at the moment where they shut down the native forest industry, shovel millions into those communities to try and deal with a decision they made before they consulted the community and (which was) not based on fact," Ms Davies said.

"They are also doing the same in Collie.

"It is costing all of us as taxpayers, but it will be my communities, the people that have fed and sustained and educated and worked hard generationally, that will be impacted and that will happen in the next six to 12 months.

"People make decisions right now.

"Is there going to be an interim report to the Prime Minister to say we are on the edge of destroying the nucleus flock of sheep in WA and everything that flows from it?"

She said the policy was an absolute disgrace and thanked the panel for at least listening to those in attendance.