Western Australia’s government and pastoralists reiterate support for sheep exports

WESTERN Australia’s Labor Government and pastoralists have reiterated their support for live sheep exports despite federal Minister Agriculture Minister Murray Watt’s assertion the trade had lost its social licence. Although WA Labor Government leaders have stopped short of outlining whether or how they intend to fight the Federal Government’s planned phase-out of the trade. In a Senate Estimates hearing last week, Mr Watt said live sheep exporters had “lost their social licence because of a range of incidents” and community opinion is that the trade should be phased out. The statements prompted the Pastoralists and Graziers Association of Western Australian to label the Australian Labor Party’s election commitment to phase out the live sheep export trade as reckless and irresponsible, claiming Mr Watt’s comments show how ill-informed the Federal Government is about the importance of the live export trade to WA’s regional economy. “It is clear that Minister Watt and the ALP party ...