Federal O'Connor MP Rick Wilson recently delivered a letter to a major live sheep exports by sea customer in Kuwait, reassuring the Liberal Party's commitment to overturn the pending industry ban should it return to government.
"When in Kuwait recently, it was my solemn duty to deliver the letter to the Undersecretary of the Minister of Commerce and Industry Mr Ziad Abdullah Alnajem," Mr Wilson said.
WAFarmers and the Pastoralists and Graziers Association of WA heard Mr Wilson was travelling to the Middle East in his capacity as shadow assistant minister for trade, asking him to present the correspondence to the Government of Kuwait.
"Kuwait is a very important trading partner for Australia, receiving more live sheep from us than any other nation, as well as sheep meat, barley, dairy, fruit and vegetables mostly produced by WA farmers," Mr Wilson said.
The letter from WA's two main farming groups said Labor's planned live export ban was driven by political expediency, not by science and facts, a point with which Mr Wilson strongly agrees.
"As a lifelong wheat and sheep farmer before entering Federal Parliament a decade ago, I stand with WA's live sheep exporters, and through them with the people of Kuwait who rely on the industry for food security," he said.
"Kuwait has embraced the Export Supply Chain Assurance Scheme that has dramatically improved animal welfare in markets across the Middle East.
"If Labor succeeds in banning live exports from Australia, Kuwait will be left in the lurch, having to source live sheep from nations that are less reliable suppliers."
In Kuwait, Mr Wilson reiterated the farming groups' message that WA's farmers want to continue their longstanding and mutually beneficial live sheep trade with the nation.
