WA farmers to take live-ex fight to streets of Perth

The Grass Roots Rally organisers and well over 1000 registered participants will bring the city to the country, with a clear message: Western Australians - your farmers need you to stand with them. Don't let policies driven by Eastern States-based politicians and animal activists destroy an industry that is vital to domestic food security.

In the space of just over a week the rally has been declared full as the sheer amount of support has been overwhelming.

The industry argues the science and data proves closing live sheep exports by sea, especially without sufficient time to do so, puts at risk domestic food security, international trade partnerships, the livelihoods of thousands across WA and nationally - and will result in adverse animal welfare outcomes.

Livestock & Rural Transport Association of WA (LRTAWA) vice president and 5K Livestock owner, Ben Sutherland, said Australia is a world leader in animal welfare and it is unbelievable that preference deals done in a small Victorian electorate are going to impact a huge part of WA and many country towns.

"Livestock are an essential part of sustainable land management in WA and sheep and wool play a vital role in our country towns," Mr Sutherland said.

"The announcement and package offered has legitimised extreme activism at the cost of peoples livelihoods.

"Ceasing live exports will hit like a hammer blow in the WA wheatbelt and regional communities.

"Some of these communities will struggle to survive.

"We will accept nothing but a reversal of this policy or a change of government that will reverse this policy."

The peaceful rally has been organised to highlight the livelihoods of producers and the extended supply chain that will be affected by the Labor Federal government's plan to end the export trade by May 1, 2028.

Organisers want as many people as possible to stand with WA farmers, the Australian agriculture industry and all rural and regional WA communities to defend the future of the live sheep export industry, WA sheep producers and all the associated industries, businesses and families, like transporters, vets, shearers and exporters.

Corrigin sheep producer and The Livestock Collective director, Steven Bolt said they want to show the faces of those who will be affected by this policy and highlight the fact the government needs to listen to the evidence, not ideology.

He said the activist-driven stance was already doing irrevocable damage.

"This is driven by grass roots WA agriculture," Mr Bolt said.

"We as an industry are not going to stand by and let the government destroy, not only the sheep industry, but the whole of the WA agricultural industry."

He said the government's proposed package was woefully inadequate and completely ignored the impact that the ban will have on the supply chain barely scratching the surface of Western Australians' investments.

"$64 million is a manifestly inadequate package," Mr Bolt said.

"It represents cents in the dollar in terms of the investments farmers have made.

"It completely ignores the ripple effect this policy will have on the supply chain and broader WA economy.

"This is less than what we stand to lose in a single year.

"For god's sake they spent $9.4 million just producing the report."

Farmers and the industry had to plead for proper consultation by the panel in WA and said they had to beg to see this final report only to be blindsided by a surprise weekend announcement just days before the budget and during a time of extreme stress for WA farmers.

"They're treating the victims of this policy with absolute contempt.

"The timing of the announcement showed a complete lack of awareness for the situation on the ground in WA - where emergency taskforces are being created and hotlines established to help producers through what is already a serious tough patch."

The message from farmers is that this is an anti-agriculture government.

"The ban demonstrates that no amount of reform in an industry will protect it from ideology if it is worth votes," Mr Bolt said.

"This means no agricultural industry is safe and Australia's exports are at risk across the board.

"Submissions to the Government's own panel all assessed the value of the trade to the total sheep industry as greater than the phase out package.

"It also completely ignores the value of the trade to the greater supply chain.

"This is not just farmers - this is an extreme agenda and means that no industry is safe from things that activists take a dislike to.

"Australian agricultural industries are united.

"We all stand together with farmers and will ensure we take this fight to the Government until the election.

"Despite the announcement this is not over, we will not stop fighting.

"Australian agriculture feeds the world.

"We will continue to stand proud of the role we play in feeding and nourishing people the world over.

"We won't let this Government's pandering to fringe activists take that away from us.

"That is why we are rallying together."

The Grass Roots Rally will be a convoy of farm vehicles - trucks, tractors, utes and family vehicles - travelling along four separate routes through the CBD and culminating at a final meeting point, where the industry driven KeepTheSheep campaign will be officially launched.

The four convoys will travel to the CBD via main roads including Kwinana Freeway, Leach Highway and Roe Highway.

Once in the CBD the routes travel past Elizabeth Quay, along Riverside Drive, Wellington Street and the Causeway, before heading out on routes including Great Eastern Highway and Tonkin Highway.

There is a free community sausage sizzle provided by supporters' donations, coffee vans and local music from Andy Brayshaw at the final meeting point where organisers will launch #KeepTheSheep and thank everyone for their support.