Rick Wilson (O'Connor, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to celebrate the 50th Wagin Woolorama, recently held in the wheatbelt region of WA. This show reminds us of the massive contribution that farmers make to the Australian economy. In 1972 farmers Malcolm Edwards and Ric McDonald developed a bold plan to rebrand what had been a small agricultural show. Attendance at the first Wagin Woolorama nearly doubled that of the spring ag show that preceded it. The Wagin Woolorama went from strength to strength.

Responding to a downturn in the wool industry at the time, Mr Edwards and Mr McDonald reoriented the focus towards sheep and wool. Fast-forward half a century and sheep producers face another threat—Mr Albanese's planned ban on live sheep exports. The ban—and opposition leader Peter Dutton's attendance at the Woolorama to protest it—were the talk of the show. Alongside a contingent of Liberal parliamentarians, Mr Dutton launched a petition to help save live exports. His visit was the second to my electorate in a month. He also recently visited remote Laverton with me, to support shire president Pat Hill, who had extended an invitation to Mr Albanese that went ignored. Councillor Hill had begged the PM to come to the northern goldfields and see how alcohol-fuelled dysfunction had soared since Labor abolished the cashless debit card. Mr Albanese chose a Kalgoorlie photo op instead. A Peter Dutton led collision will not ignore the voices of regional Australia.