CRISIS MEETINGS HELD WITH NATIONALS LEADER
Article by Adam Poulsen courtesy of the West Australian.
Nationals Leader David Littleproud arrived in WA on Sunday for a three-day tour to meet with farmers facing what he says is an “onslaught” of “draconian” policies from the State and Federal Labor governments.
The shadow Federal agriculture minister flew into Perth on Sunday night to attend a crisis meeting in Katanning on Monday, organised by WAFarmers.
The meeting — which attracted a crowd of about 500 to Katanning Leisure Centre — focused primarily on the Albanese Government’s impending live sheep export ban and the rollout of WA’s new Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act.
Mr Littleproud then travelled 500km east to Esperance to attend another WAFarmers gathering at the Comfort Inn Bay of Isles on Tuesday.
The same topics were on the agenda along with the Albanese Government’s biosecurity protection levy — an unpopular funding initiative, introduced in the 2023-24 Budget, set to hit grain growers hardest.
Other topics included changes to Australia’s firearm laws, immigration and workforce-related policies , and the uncertain future facing the nation’s agricultural and veterinary chemicals regulator.
Mr Littleproud was scheduled to wrap up the visit with a “networking” day in Albany on Wednesday, before flying to Melbourne for Thursday’s Australian Grains Industry Conference.
He accused Federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt — who declined an invitation to the Katanning meeting — of lacking “the courage” to face the State’s farmers.
“WA producers are at the epicentre . . . because the cultural heritage Act and the live sheep phase-out are two of the biggest decisions to impact agriculture since the election of the Albanese Government,” Mr Littleproud said. “Farmers are feeling their livelihoods are at threat. . . and that’s where the Albanese Government, along with State governments, are out of step with the practical reality of what’s happening on the ground.”
Mr Littleproud unleashed on Federal Labor’s plan to phase-out WA’s $92 million live sheep trade, saying Senator Watt “can’t even explain the science” behind the policy. He added that the decision would see “3000 Western Australians lose their livelihoods” despite major improvements made by the industry in recent years.
“Murray Watt agrees that we’ve improved our standards. . . to being the best in the world, and he doesn’t even have the courage to come here and front up to these farmers,” Mr Littleproud said.
“We need to make sure Western Australians know that we can educate East Coast politicians, and we can block this in the Senate, (because) it will require legislation under the Act.
“That’s why it’s important that we don’t give up, that we don’t just think ‘this is over’.”