Independent WA MP Kate Chaney.

WESTERN Australia’s Keep the Sheep group was today celebrating the continued support of WA Independent Kate Chaney for its goal of reversing the Albanese Government’s plan to phase out live sheep exports by sea in May 2028.

And the group is set to personally target more Western Australian federal MPs within the campaign theme of ‘Put Labor last’.

Keep the Sheep said after four months, three letters, a targeted sign campaign to ‘Put Kate Chaney last’ and thousands of vehicles driving through Perth CBD and Curtin, Ms Chaney has finally committed publicly to supporting a repeal of the trade ban.

Ms Chaney last year initially support the trade ban then changed her mind to vote against the Albanese Government’s legislation to end live sheep exports by sea, but Keep the Sheep had for months been seeking a written commitment from the Independent on her position.

In WA media this weekend Ms Chaney said she would support legislation to repeal the trade phaseout, but in a separate statement said she “will not be pressured into signing an iron-clad, unlimited guarantee on any issue.”

Keep the Sheep spokesman Ben Sutherland attributed Ms Chaney’s recommitment to the pressure placed on her through the campaign and the convoy that travelled through her electorate on Friday.

“It’s good that she has finally answered us and we’re glad to see another MP arrive at the commonsense position of saving 3000 jobs in rural WA,” he said.

Mr Sutherland said that the campaign was pleased to obtain Ms Chaeny’s Federal Election commitment.

“All we were asking for was a simple answer and now Ms Chaney has answered on the public record.

“These commitments don’t happen by accident,” he said.

“It’s obvious Ms Chaney was fearful of losing votes if she didn’t support WA’s farmers, shearers and truckies.”

“Now we need Labor MPs to find their spines and our door is open when they do. Otherwise, they will lose votes this federal election as we tell the community to put Labor last.

Over the weekend in WA media, Ms Chaney said she would support legislation to repeal the ban.

In a media statement, Ms Chaney said in June 2024, she voted to ‘keep the sheep’ by voting against the ban on live sheep exports.

“My position has not changed.

“As an Independent MP, I carefully considered the evidence and engaged extensively with my community before making this decision,” she said.

“I listened to Curtin constituents who raised serious concerns about the impact of the ban on farming communities, individual farmers and the viability of WA’s agricultural sector.

“Given the weight of these concerns, I chose to vote against the legislation,” she said.

“Since then, I have responded to every constituent who has contacted me about this issue to reaffirm that my position remains unchanged.

“Despite my opposition, the law to end live sheep exports by May 2028 came into effect on 10 July 2024,” Ms Chaney said.

“While advocacy groups are free to express their views, I will not be pressured into signing an iron-clad, unlimited guarantee on any issue.

“My role is to independently represent my community, not to serve a political party or interest group.”

WAFarmers president John Hassell said Keep the Sheep last year asked Ms Chaney for a written commitment to support the repealing of the live sheep trade phaseout legislation.

“She just wouldn’t answer and just wouldn’t answer, so had no choice but to go out with (Put Kate Chaney last’ signs.

“So we went out with the signs (during the Friday rally in Perth) and she came out with that statement.”

Keep the Sheep has agreed to backing off on the ‘Put Kate Chaney last’ signs after the Independent’s statements to support repealing the trade ban.

“So I think we can claim a scalp if you like, we’ve got support for the industry.

“So if she is true to her word then we will go elsewhere.”

Mr Hassell said Keep the Sheep campaign would now target WA Labor MPs similarly during the federal election.

NSW inquiry disappoints with only one recommendation

Meanwhile in New South Wales, a state government inquiry into the impact of the live sheep by sea trade ban on sheep producers across the state has disappointed farmers with its only recommendation.

The ‘Impact of the phase-out of Australian live sheep exports by sea on New South Wales inquiry’ recommended that the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development actively monitor industry trends to identify any impacts of the phase-out of the live sheep exports by sea on New South Wales, to and beyond 2028.

“In reporting its observations, the department should also identify potential measures to respond to any impacts,” the

NSW Farmers president Xavier Martin said the report had come as a bitter disappointment for farmers across NSW, who were set to take a huge hit as a result of the shutdown.

“Baseless activism is behind this ban, and it will ruin the farming families and communities who have been producing sheep to feed the world right here in NSW.

“Monitoring how this ban will impact our state is one thing, but we’ve already done the numbers, and we know exactly how devastating this shutdown will be for our sheep industry,” Mr Martin said.

“NSW sheep and lamb prices are likely to take a 14 percent hit over just two years as the ban takes effect – and yet it’s radio silence from our state government on any support as our sheep industry faces what could well be its death knell.”

Mr Martin said the Minns Government must call on the Federal Government to reverse the live sheep by sea trade ban as soon as possible.

He said work to monitor the ban’s impacts is not enough to support the sheep industry in NSW.

“The NSW Government should be proactively monitoring the impacts of this trade ban on the state and acting swiftly before the damage spirals out of control – but this is the bare minimum our farmers and industry should be able to expect.

“This decision to ban the trade is senseless and baseless, and it defies logic that in our current environment, our government is shutting trade doors, not opening them,” Mr Martin said.

“Our economy needs this trade, and our farming communities do too – so when is someone going to step up and stop this ban before it’s all too late?”