Australia Passes Law to End Live Sheep Export by 2028

Sheep graze in a farm paddock behind signs protesting the live sheep ban in the south of Western Australia on June 20, 2024. Susan Mortimer/The Epoch Times

Farmers have reacted with dismay and anger after Australia’s Parliament passed legislation to outlaw live sheep exports by sea from 2028.

National Farmers Federation President David Jochinke said the decision had left farmers very disappointed after they invested into significant reforms to encourage better animal welfare in the industry.

Mr. Jochinke criticised the government for rushing the legislation.

“They didn’t want to risk exposing the utter lack of scientific evidence or acknowledge the infuriated outcry that has followed this ill-informed, vote-grabbing policy,” he said in a press release.

“The facts are that unless this ban is reversed, farming communities, animals and Australia’s strategic trade partnerships will all suffer.

“We now have a dangerously unscientific precedent that will be celebrated tonight by groups who want to shut down Australian livestock production.”

Mr. Jochinke said he was proud of the Western Australian (WA) communities who'd fought hard to rally against the bill.

“These communities will wake up tomorrow with a lot to digest and some tough business decisions to make,” he said.

WA farmers and business owners had attempted to lobby in the 11th hour for a reprieve but were unsuccessful.

Keep the Sheep supporters travelled to Canberra on July 1 in an attempt to plead their case and vowed to target marginal Labor seats if they were not successful in doing so.

The ban will take effect on May 1, 2028, with a $107 million transition package on offer to farmers.

Minister Rules Out Ban on Cattle Exports

Agriculture Minister Murray Watt said the legislation was the industry had been in long-term decline, and ruled out expanding the ban to other species.

“Live sheep exports by sea have been plummeting for years, along with community support due to serious animal welfare concerns,” he wrote on Facebook.

In Parliament he ruled out a ban on cattle, saying they were a “more robust” animal and traversed shorter journeys than sheep.

“Most of our live cattle journeys are to south-east Asia, relatively short journeys, as opposed to sheep being sent very long journeys to the Middle East,” he said.

“That’s also the government’s position, and we won’t be phasing out live cattle exports.”

Opponents of live sheep exports claim the practice is cruel, causing animals to suffer from heat stress on voyages and because there is no control over how animals are treated once they arrive at their destination.

For example, earlier this year, a sheep ship was turned back two weeks into its journey to Jordan, due to concerns about Houthi rebels attacking cargo ships in the Red Sea.

The sheep still onboard, the ship remained moored off the coast of Perth for five weeks in hot and unsanitary conditions. Eventually, some of the animals were offloaded off the ship for their health.

Meanwhile, the Coalition says it will overturn the bill if re-elected.

Nationals’ leader David Littleproud said the government had treated farmers with contempt, fearing cattle shipments would be the next to be cut.

“This decision is simply Labor bowing down to animal activists, even though Australia has the world’s best animal welfare standards,” he said.

In June, farmers warned a parliamentary inquiry that travelled to regional WA that some towns would die if the legislation was passed.