Ending Live Sheep Exports by Sea

I rise today in support of the Export Control Amendment (Ending Live Sheep Exports by Sea) Bill 2024. This bill is an incredibly important milestone for our parliament's commitment to animal welfare. When I was first elected in 2019, live sheep exports quickly became one of the issues that constituents were contacting me about more than many other issues. Many hundreds of my constituents emailed me to express their outrage after a whistleblower made public footage of a voyage to the Middle East. More than 2,000 sheep died on that vessel. The video showed sheep crammed into dirty pens, panting from heat stress and leaping over one another to access food. Carcasses piled up, with some thrown overboard. Newborn lambs were caught up in the carnage despite laws meant to prevent pregnant ewes onboard.

Ending the practice of live sheep exports remains one of the key issues that Canberrans raise with me, and I want to thank them for their ongoing advocacy. I also want to thank the many members of the Canberra community who got in touch to thank our government for this legislation. When we were in opposition, in my first term, I was pleased to raise this issue with the former minister for agriculture, the member for Maranoa, calling on him to follow the lead of New Zealand and put an end to live sheep exports. I was proud when, in opposition, we committed to getting that done in both the 2019 and 2022 elections. I was proud to write to our new minister for agriculture, Senator Watt, calling on our government to honour this commitment as well.

Today, with this bill, the government is honouring our commitment to end the live sheep export trade. As Benjamin Anderson, Madeline Stewart and Aiden Whitfield, three young people from my electorate, recently told me when they presented me with their petition on this issue, nothing justifies live exports. This bill will prohibit absolutely the export from Australia of live sheep by sea on and after 1 May 2028. This date reflects the recommendations of an independent panel. It provides certainty to farmers, supply chain businesses, the Australian community and trading partners. It will support a more successful transition to onshore value-adding through domestic processing.

Those opposite have claimed that this will end farming in Australia. We have heard many of those opposite talk about people representing city electorates like my own speaking in support of this and not understanding the industry. What I would say to that is that I have the deepest respect for farmers and people who work in agriculture, including many in my own family. I do appreciate the critical role that they hold in our economy and community, but this is about moving on from a particular part of this industry that I feel is not justified. This cruelty to the sheep that we see is not justified, and our government is working to support those farmers and communities through this.

Those opposite are also ignoring the fact that live sheep export industry has reduced by 90 per cent since 2001, from 6.5 million head of sheep then to 652,000 head of sheep today and ignoring the fact that live sheep exports by sea were worth only $77 million last year compared to the $4.5 billion in sheepmeat exports. Ending this trade will not be the hit to farmers that those opposite claim. This is an industry that is already on the decline.

This government is not just leaving those farmers who currently work in this industry to fend for themselves. We have put $107 million on the table to ensure an orderly and well-planned transition away from the trade. Knowing farmers in my own family, I know that farmers are adaptable—they have to be—to the conditions they face. They know when an industry is in decline and when something is no longer working. Support is on the table now so that the industry can start to plan so that those affected by the phase-out are well-positioned, resilient and ready when the trade ends in 2028.

In fact, ending the trade will ensure more sheep are processed here in Australia, employing more people through the supply chain. It means more people employed in Australian abattoirs, more Australians employed as butchers and so on, value adding to our economy and to our agricultural industries. And importantly, it means we will have full oversight and confidence that our high standards for animal welfare are adhered to. This is something that many of those opposite have in the past supported.

I want to draw attention to 2018, when the now deputy leader of the Liberal Party, the member for Farrer, introduced a private member's bill supported by Senator Henderson—the then member for Corangamite—the member for Leichhardt and the member for La Trobe. That private member's bill would have ended the live export trade then. The member for Farrer said at the time:

The case for continuing long haul live sheep exports fails on both economic animal welfare grounds. … The live sheep trade is in terminal decline … The litany of animal cruelty in the live sheep trade makes a mockery of the industry's "no fear no pain" mantra. … Unfortunately this is an industry with an operating model built on the suffering of animals.

In a joint media release with Senator Henderson, the member for Farrer also said:

Our personal conviction on this issue remains and we will continue to advocate for a change in Coalition policy and for a phase-out of this awful trade.

Unfortunately, the cruelty of this industry remains, and the only thing that has changed is the conviction of some of those members opposite, who have seemingly sacrificed those beliefs. I hope they will support this bill because this is an important step we are taking for the welfare of animals in this country. I am proud to be a member of a government that has followed through on its commitment to end the live sheep export trade. I have been pleased to hear from members of my community who have been supportive of this bill and I want to thank you again for your advocacy. I commend this bill to the House.