A FUTURE Coalition government will reinstate the live sheep export trade and ensure the live cattle export trade is protected.

Leader of The Nationals David Littleproud said bringing back the live sheep export trade and restoring confidence to Western Australian farmers will be his first priority if elected.

“The very first Bill I will introduce if I become Agriculture Minister is to reinstate the live sheep export trade,” Mr Littleproud said.

“On top of that, the very first trip I will make as Agriculture Minister will be to travel to the Middle East, to build those important relationships and ensure the live sheep export trade in Australia remains.”

Mr Littleproud warned if Labor forms government with the Greens, Western Australia’s live export industry is over.

“The people of Perth are now the only ones who can save the 3000 livelihoods of their fellow Western Australians, by putting Labor and the Greens last.

“Labor sold the Western Australia industry out last election so they could secure Animal Justice Party preferences and they are doing the same again this election.

“Labor is prepared to put politics ahead of Western Australian jobs.

“A Labor/Greens Government will destroy the live sheep export trade, while also putting shipping and exports with live cattle at risk. A number of ships going to the Middle East carry both sheep and cattle, something the Labor/Greens alliance doesn’t understand.

“Labor’s transition package for farmers won’t see the light of day until the next financial year and well after the federal election. We know our farmers want to keep their industry, not lose it with an insulting and delayed transition package.

“Labor is bowing down to animal activists, even though Australia has the world’s best animal welfare standards. It is senseless to remove ourselves from the market, because the Middle East will simply find other markets which don’t have our high animal welfare standards.”

The Nationals’ WA Senate candidate, Paul Brown, a veteran of the live export industry for more than 35 years, has seen first-hand the devastating consequences that this decision is having on the Western Australian farming community.

“We are watching generations of skill and innovation in every sector of the WA merino industry being torched, all because Anthony Albanese needed to do a dirty little preference deal with a minor east-coast political party to secure his own future, and now won’t admit he is wrong,” Mr Brown said.

“Every single agricultural industry body across Australia has joined with sheep producers, shearers, truckies and regional communities in WA to tell Mr Albanese that his ideology will only bring economic pain for the farmers here.”