Michael Guerin, AgForce CEO, 13 February 2025
The facts are clear, even the Government is not denying it.
The banning of Live Sheep export by sea from 2028, recently enacted by the current Federal Government, goes against science and animal welfare protection principles.
It's a grubby deal, pure and simple, that will destroy an industry and hollow out communities in the west.
In contrast, the 'Keep The Sheep' campaign is a professional outfit with a good strategy that is having an impact.
By targeting Government seats that are most at risk, they are running what would have to be one of, if not the most comprehensive and clever campaigns on the ground that our agricultural industry has seen.
It is making a difference. Activists who had moved from Perth to Townsville to start a cattle campaign have gone back to Perth.
AgForce stands resolutely with Keep The Sheep and encourages all to get involved and show their support. https://www.keepthesheep.com.au/
The campaign is moving the dial in these marginal seats. We can tell because the politicians are clearly feeling it.
There is a chance we can turn this one around and in doing so reset the conversations for a generation about our great industry.
If not now when? The Government is hell-bent on destroying an industry that the best and latest science tells us is a powerful contributor to strengthening social, animal welfare and economic outcomes.
The opportunity for a reset if this campaign is successful is much broader than simply for live export.
Just look at the on-again off-again political merry-go-round of the so called 'Nature Positive' reforms in federal parliament these last few weeks.
Of course, if they had engaged with industry on this issue after the last election as they promised to do, we could well now have progressed fundamental and much needed reform of the EPBC Act.
Instead, pure bald politics intervened in the same way it did for live sheep - creating a horrifying outcome from the perspective of food security and regional communities.
The opportunity now is to have as many conversations with as many politicians as possible on the way into this federal election.
AgForce also proffers the thought that we should all - no matter our location or commodity - get involved with the Keep The Sheep campaign and support it however we can. A win there would send a powerful message to all sides of politics.
