Premier Roger Cook has been lauded by farmers, peak bodies and Federal opposition politicians for making his most powerful statements in support of WA's live sheep export industry in parliament last week.
Mr Cook called the policy to phase-out live sheep exports by sea "unnecessary" and said it should be reconsidered.
"We believe the welfare arrangements that are in place, the checks and balances that have been put in place as a result of the reforms around that are sufficient," Mr Cook said.
"We believe this will be an unnecessary burden and one that (the Federal Government) should reconsider."
"We are on a single ticket here.
"The Western Australian Government and Western Australian farmers believe that the decisions the Federal government is currently negotiating over are unnecessary.
"We stand by the farmers and the community of Western Australia in relation to this issue."
Mr Cook's comments were in response to a 21 page report by the North Eastern Wheatbelt Region of Councils (NEWROC), which represents the seven shires of Koorda, Mt Marshall, Mukinbudin, Nungarin, Trayning, Wyalkatchem and Dowerin, which are home to more than 400,000 sheep.
The report said damage from the ban would exceed $128 million in lost revenue just in those seven council areas.
A delegation of three NEWROC representatives, Caroline Robinson, Quentin Davies and Tony Sachse, visited Canberra last week in a bid to stop the live sheep export industry from being banned.
"We went over there not about the welfare issue or animal activists," Mr Davies said.
"Our visit was purely about the significant impact it would have on our seven councils.
"That is what the report shows and I have absolutely no doubt that if every other council did the same independent report, they would get the same result, in fact probably even more of an impact down south where there are even more sheep."
Mr Davies said after 20 years involved in his local council and coming together with other councils in regional WA, there had always been a focus on attracting business and trying to halt the decline of the population in rural areas, but the removal of live export as a market would negate it all.
"With one stroke of the pen, by wiping out live sheep exports as a market, this report shows the severity of the impact it will have," Mr Davies said.
"All I asked of those we met, was that when this policy goes to the vote - don't think about the animal welfare side of it, think of these communities."
The delegation intended to meet with both sides of politics and Mr Davies said they had tried on several occasions to arrange a meeting with Federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt to give him a copy of the report and discuss the human impact this policy would have in their communities.
"We contacted the minister after the initial consultation forums took place," Mr Davies said.
"We were prepared to travel to Canberra or if he could meet us here.
"The response we got as NEWROC was, we were told to meet with the independent panel - which we did."
This meeting with the panel was before they had finalised the report and once they had their report Mr Davies said they then contacted Mr Watt's office again to organise a meeting as part of their visit to Canberra, but did not receive a response at that stage.
He said it was not until NEWROC executive officer Caroline Robinson spoke out in the media about not receiving a response from Mr Watt and after liaising with senator Bridget McKenzie's office that they were able to make contact with Mr Watt's office.
"They will argue we had a meeting," Mr Davies said.
"But we met with one of Murray Watt's advisers and the meeting lasted for less than 10 minutes."
Federal National Party leader David Littleproud welcomed Mr Cook's comments calling for the Federal Labor government to reconsider its "unnecessary" policy of phasing-out live sheep exports.
"The Nationals 100 per cent agree with Mr Cook that stopping the live sheep export trade is an 'unnecessary burden'," Mr Littleproud said.
"I am pleased that the WA Premier is standing by WA farmers and common sense has finally prevailed with their State Labor government.
"Mr Littleproud backed Mr Cook's comments that reforms in the live export industry were sufficient and checks and balances had been put in place.
Mr Littleproud met with representatives of NEWROC in Canberra and said it was disappointing Mr Watt did not meet them as well.
"Mr Watt didn't have the courage to look the delegation in the eye and confront them about the future of their communities," Mr Littleproud said.
"It's now blatantly clear there is no scientific or economic justification for Federal Labor to shut down the live sheep export industry.
"Labor is also refusing to release details of its 230-page Independent Panel Report into the impact of stopping the trade.
"He said Labor was destroying the livelihoods of more than 3000 people and an industry worth $85 million.
"NEWROC's report only re-enforces the Nationals' position that a future coalition government will reinstate live sheep exports," Mr Litleproud said.
National Farmers' Federation president David Jochinke also welcomed the support of the WA Premier and said it was time for the Albanese government to listen.
"The evidence coming in continues to show there is no way to do this without destroying jobs, worsening welfare outcomes and testing our trading relationships," Mr Jochinke said.
"It's appropriate now for the Albanese government to say that putting an end date on the trade just isn't responsible.
"The industry has improved and there is no longer a need for this policy.
"It's so important that the government hears from people impacted by this on the ground, not just the inner-city activists from the Eastern States.
"Now's the time to be working with industry on a better path forward that can help restore confidence to the WA sheep industry."
