Activists push government to live export end date

Since the press conference on March 3, last year, where Mr Watt revealed who the Independent Panel members would be and said live sheep exports by sea would not be phased-out in the current term of parliament, there has been controversy.

Standing before a gathering of activists on Monday afternoon, deputy leader of the Australian Greens, Mehreen Faruqi, along with Western Australian Greens MLC, Brad Pettitt, called for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to ban the trade immediately by legislating the date and accused the Western Australian Government of not doing enough.

"They need to legislate the date when live exports will end forever in this State," Mr Pettitt said.

"The WA Government has been getting in the way of phasing out the live export trade."

Ms Faruqi described live export as a vile and cruel industry the Greens had been determined to shut down for years.

"Labor can't keep kicking the can down the road," Ms Faruqi said.

"We still don't have a plan, we have no timeline, we have no time to legislate the date.

"If we needed another example why, let's not look past the disaster that is MV Bahijah."

Ms Faruqi said the industry, regulators and government can't be trusted.

These claims were in stark contrast to the reports compiled by the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) and uploaded daily while the MV Bahijah and its cargo was docked and then safely unloaded.

DAFF had veterinary officers and biosecurity officers on hand to ensure biosecurity requirements were met and received daily updates from the veterinarian aboard the vessel and who reported the livestock remained in good condition.

DAFF even reported the numbers of cattle and sheep deaths onboard and on land, even though the total figures were not reportable under the government's own animal welfare legislation, which is widely regarded as some of the strictest in the world.

Australian Live Exporters Council chief executive officer Mark Harvey-Sutton said it was clear that animal welfare on the vessel was exemplary - something which was independently verified by DAFF during its decision-making process.

"Time and time again the good animal welfare on the vessel is referenced throughout the decision, highlighting that those saying otherwise were deliberately misrepresenting the truth for nefarious reasons and should be ashamed of themselves," Mr Harvey-Sutton said.

He said the negative and misleading social media activity by activist organisations was nothing more than a marketing campaign to generate donations.

"Make no mistake, these organisations have not missed the opportunity to cynically capitalise on the Bahijah issue as a promotional exercise for themselves," Mr Harvey-Sutton said.

"This is how these organisations work and how they generate their funding."

The Nationals leader, David Littleproud, called on Mr Albanese to meet with live sheep export farmers during his Cabinet visit in WA.

Mr Littleproud said Mr Albanese owed it to live sheep farmers to give them the decency of listening to their concerns.

It comes as Labor continues to keep live sheep farmers in the dark by refusing to release details of its Independent Panel Report into the consequences of phasing out the live sheep export trade.

"The Prime Minister and his Cabinet are treating Australian farmers with contempt by hiding the report in Cabinet, despite previously committing to providing more certainty by the end of 2023," Mr Littleproud said.

"The absolute least they can do is give farmers the respect of a meeting.

"Labor is destroying the livelihoods of more than 3000 people who work in the trade and an industry worth $85 million, but doesn't seem to care about being transparent.

"It has now been 117 days since the report was delivered to Agriculture Minister Murray Watt and farmers are desperate to understand the impact of phasing out the industry and what will happen to them."

The Prime Minister has previously snubbed farm groups who requested a meeting in Western Australia, with a senior adviser responding to an invitation, saying he didn't have time.

Mr Littleproud said given the live sheep export trade was one of the most important issues in WA, it should be a top priority.

"The Prime Minister and his cabinet are turning their backs on farmers while failing to give them answers," Mr Littleproud said.

Meanwhile Ms Faruqi also drew attention to the fact Mr Albanese and Mr Watt had the Independent Panel's report and had not done anything with it.

When asked whether she knew if either had seen DAFFs recommendations related to the report, Ms Faruqi said she had not and did not know when or if she would.