LEADER of The Nationals David Littleproud said the Prime Minister turned his back on the live sheep export trade while in Western Australia and owes it to farmers to pay them a visit and listen to their concerns.

“The Prime Minister is pressing ahead with the closure of the live sheep export trade while in WA,” Mr Littleproud said.

“He is destroying the livelihoods of 3000 people while apparently spruiking jobs in regional WA.

“This is also an enormous insult to the 60 or more workers who have been left without jobs last week after the abrupt closure of the Tammin abattoir (about 72kms east of York) in the Wheatbelt community.

“The Prime Minister owes it to the Tammin abattoir workers to explain why they are now out of a job and why he is abandoning them in 2025.

“Labor’s contempt and treatment of the industry has been disgraceful and our farmers have had enough.”

Market analysts Episode 3 said the closure of the abattoir points to the repercussions of the live sheep trade decision and the government implementing an inadequate timeline for the phase out.

“Over the last two years, we’ve seen a decline to the Western Australian flock, and I think by the end of this year, we’re going to be down to two-thirds of the size of what it was back in 2021 and 2022, around 8 million head marked down from 12.5 million head,” market analyst Matt Dalgleish said.

“Even if there are some good prospects for sheep meat exports as boxed meat, if the farmers can’t see a future in the immediate short-term because of the short timelines and the decision to phase out and they get out, then that means the sector reduces in size and that has implications for the abattoirs as well, they don’t have the supply.

“If this is another nail in the coffin and that means a few more producers make the decision to contract their exposure or get out entirely, that’s just going to put further pressure on those that are remaining in the supply chain, whether it’s other abattoirs, veterinary services, shearing teams, and transport operators.”

Mr Littleproud added WA Premier Roger Cook has openly backed the live sheep trade and must show leadership with the Prime Minister.

“Farmers deserve to know if Premier Cook will raise the issue of live sheep exports and the Tammin workers losing their jobs,” he said.

“The WA Premier has so far failed to stand up to the Prime Minister and fight to save live sheep exports.

“A future coalition government, with The Nationals’ candidate Mia Davies winning the seat of Bullwinkel, and Keep the Sheep advocate Paul Brown in the Senate for The Nationals, will reinstate the live sheep export trade.”

Meanwhile, Keep the Sheep spokesperson Ben Sutherland has accused the prime minister of refusing to engage with the people whose livelihoods he is ripping apart while in WA.

“Keep the Sheep protesters were following Albanese during his campaign-style tour across the state, when WA Farmers president John Hassell was able to ask him the question,” Mr Sutherland said.

“We shouldn’t have been surprised when Albanese responded with... silence. It’s been his MO from the beginning.”

“Albanese owes our farmers an answer and owes it to the Tammin abattoir workers, who last week had their livelihoods taken away because of his policies.”