Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Watt. Can the minister confirm what scientific evidence the government has based its decision to ban the live sheep export trade by sea, which will severely impact over 3,000 Western Australian jobs along with the livelihoods of Western Australian farmers and regional communities?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) | Link to this | Hansard source

The issues around animal welfare when it comes to the live sheep export by sea industry have been debated at length over a number of years. I noticed that in the most recent report on the state of the live export sector commissioned by LiveCorp—the research and development corporation that works with the live export industry—even its survey acknowledged that mortalities amongst sheep taken by sea to the Persian Gulf are significantly higher than they are, for example, for live cattle exports. So even the industry's own methodology and own surveys demonstrate that there do remain serious animal welfare issues involving the live sheep export industry, when they come by sea.

Beyond that, what we're doing in legislating an end to the exports of live sheep by sea is delivering on an election commitment that was voted for not only by those on the east coast of Australia but by those on the west coast of Australia.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order on relevance: I asked about scientific evidence.

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

You also went to jobs and farmers, so the minister is being relevant to the question.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) | Link to this | Hansard source

I would submit that I've actually addressed that issue in the earlier part of my answer. As I was saying, this was an election commitment that we took to not just one but two elections. We are now delivering on that election commitment, as Australians would expect. As I say, not only is this a commitment that was supported by those on the east coast of Australia but the most recent surveys published demonstrate that 70 per cent of Western Australians support this commitment as well.

We are acknowledging that this will be a significant change for many in the industry, and that's why the government is putting forward a $107 million transition package to assist the industry to make this transition—a transition package that has been contributed to by every single Australian taxpayer, whether they live on the east or west coast of Australia.

We know that this is an industry that's been in long-term decline, even under the coalition government, and the numbers of sheep being exported by sea have fallen by 90 per cent over the last 20 years. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie, first supplementary?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) | Link to this | Hansard source

Given Senate estimates highlighted that there is no economic modelling to support the ban's timeframe, will the minister concede that there is no way of knowing what the impact of this ban will have on Western Australian farmers and workers, regional communities and the Australian economy?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) | Link to this | Hansard source

Of course I reject what Senator McKenzie is putting forward, and we have to note the hypocrisy of the National Party in making this last-ditch effort to defend an industry that declined significantly when the coalition was in office. In 2014-15, Australia exported 2.1 million sheep by sea at a value of $224 million. In 2021-22, 475,000 sheep were exported.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) | Link to this | Hansard source

On relevance: my question was very specific about economic modelling on the closure of a legal industry.

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie, you've called your point of order. Your question also went to farmers, workers, regional communities and all Australians, so the minister is being relevant.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) | Link to this | Hansard source

So, as I say, the Nationals are being incredibly hypocritical on this point. While they were in office, the number of live sheep exported by sea fell by 80 per cent. And now that they're in opposition they're the biggest supporters of live sheep exports that you've ever seen. They had the opportunity to do something about this when they were in office—and they did do something about it: they sent this trade down by 80 per cent.

Some of their senators, in particular, stood up to that policy. We know that Senator Henderson, the former member for Corangamite, said in answer to this question: 'The time has come, backed by the science, the facts and the economics. This is an industry that must come to an end. The live export of sheep to the Middle East is inhumane and must come to an end— (Time expired)

Honourable senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I have a senator on her feet, ready to start her question. Senator McKenzie, a second supplementary?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) | Link to this | Hansard source

McKENZIE (—) (): Will the minister concede that Labor is callously throwing away the livelihoods of Western Australian farmers, workers and regional communities to cynically capture the preferences of extreme animal activist groups, like the Animal Justice Party, who boast about being proud that they demanded the end of the live sheep export trade as a requirement for their preferences?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) | Link to this | Hansard source

The short answer is no. The longer answer is that, far from treating this industry and its members callously, this government is providing $107 million in support for the transition for an industry that has been in decline for 20 years.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) | Link to this | Hansard source

They're bragging about it, Murray!

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister Watt, please resume your seat. Senator McKenzie, ask your question and then listen in silence. Minister Watt, please continue.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) | Link to this | Hansard source

Under Labor, an industry that's in decline receives $107 million in taxpayer support. Under the coalition, for an industry that was in decline the entire time they were in office, guess how much you contributed? Zero. Absolutely zero—not one cent to support an industry that was in decline in the time that they were in power.

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie, you've made a contribution this morning. I invite you, Senator McKenzie, to make a contribution at any other point during the sitting of the Senate but not question time. You've asked your question and the minister is entitled to answer. Minister, please continue.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) | Link to this | Hansard source

The reason the coalition provided no support whatsoever to an industry in decline is that they had members like the now deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley and Senator Henderson saying:

… the sensible path is for both sides of the debate to construct a carefully considered transition to ending the trade permanently …

'across all months of the year'.

And:

Tastes are changing in Middle Eastern nations. There is no fixed, firm demand for live sheep— (Time expired)