Time for agriculture industry to stand tall

This is on the back of the recent peaceful rally through the Perth CBD two weeks ago, involving more than 1700 vehicles and more than 3000 people.

The Keep The Sheep campaign organisers have asked the WA public to support the next event and be at Muresk for an 8am start.

The Keep The Sheep campaign's first week resulted in about 50,000 signatures and about $292,000 of its $300,000 fundraising aim.

Organisers hoped to continue to put pressure on the government to scrap the legislation it says will decimate rural communities across WA.

The rally will tie in with the House of Representatives Standing Committee for Agriculture's inquiry into the Export Control Amendment (Ending Live Sheep Exports by Sea) Bill 2024 at Muresk tomorrow.

It offers the ideal opportunity for everyone who is affected by the proposed legislation to speak up.

Keep the Sheep organiser, and Livestock & Rural Transport Association of WA vice president Ben Sutherland, said their petition success illustrated to Federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt the policy was not supported by the public.

"We've set an amazing record," Mr Sutherland said.

"This has been from a standing start, without a heavily funded campaign like the ones activists have.

"It shows the community supports farmers, truckies and people in country towns.

"In introducing the bill to ban live sheep to parliament, the government used the activists' petition as justification, saying it represented community expectations, well, what about our communities' expectations?

"Labor wants to take away our livelihoods and communities based on a petition by activists that we blew past in just six days.

"It's clear we have the Australian community on our side."

Fellow organiser and Port Hedland Export depot owner Paul Brown said the WA farming industry and supporters sent a strong message to the Federal and State governments at their convoy rally, but it was time to gear up to do it all again and the bigger the better.

"It was a monstrous success and everyone should all be proud to have been part of such an historic day," Mr Brown said.

"Now we need you all to turn up again and bring your family and friends to Muresk on Friday.

"(Prime Minister) Anthony Albanese and Murray Watt heard us loud and clear, but have given us all little more than a week to make submissions and to prepare for the hearing.

"We need all of you with your 4WDs, utes and cars to be there as part of another display of our unity against their attacks on WA agriculture."

Mr Brown said the campaign had enough trucks to make a statement, but needed people power.

"We need to show the government they can't continually disrespect WA," Mr Brown said.

"We understand that it's short notice again, but the government does this because they think we won't turn up.

"They were wrong last week, and they'll be wrong next week.

"They'll be wrong every week."

He said leader of One Nation, Pauline Hanson would be at the Muresk hearing, as will The Nationals WA leader Shane Love and Liberal Party leader Libby Mettam, with more still to confirm their attendance.

Unlike the first rally, tomorrow will be about a show of numbers of people on the ground.

WA Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis this week voiced her support for farmers and regional WA, vowing to advocate for the State's sheep industry through a submission to the committee, as well as an in person meeting with Mr Watt.

Ms Jarvis said she opted not to attend the hearing at Muresk because she also wanted those directly affected to have a greater chance to have their say - and she already has a prescheduled meeting with Mr Watt.

"The Cook government has been clear and consistent from the start, the Federal government's decision will negatively impact Western Australian farmers and regional communities however, if the bill does proceed there must be adequate assistance for a transition," Ms Jarvis said

"The sheer number of farmers involved in last week's convoy shows just how concerned people are.

"There is only one public hearing in WA and it's important that those most affected have an opportunity to meet with the committee to share their views.

"I will be... travelling to Canberra in the coming weeks to meet with my Federal counterpart Murray Watt, to further advocate for a better deal."

Mr Sutherland said it had been amazing to see the grassroots movement gather steam with people jumping on board and sending the petition to friends and family.

"What we will continue to do is keep the pressure on the government to drop this awful policy," Mr Sutherland said.

Rally organisers are expecting about 2000 people to attend and were hoping to change the venue for the hearing to Dempster Hall to accommodate the big crowd.

There will be catering supplied by the Muresk Student Association.