A recent federal government co-design workshop held in Albany, WA has left livestock transporters feeling worse than ever about the upcoming live sheep export ban.

The WA Livestock and Rural Transport Association was in attendance, and president Ben Sutherland aired his frustration in a letter to members this week.

“I attended the workshop in good faith to make sure our members’ interests were looked after – to highlight the risks and to seek the opportunities,” he says.

“I left there with an overwhelming sense of doom that rural transporters would be left behind. It’s clear that all the warnings about the impact of the Albanese government’s live sheep export phase-out have fallen on deaf ears.

“The Minister for Agriculture, Julie Collins has said these workshops will help producers and the supply chain to ‘plan, respond and adapt’ and will be focussed on the future strength and sustainability of the industry.

“You have knocked the confidence out of the WA sheep industry and transport businesses are making decisions about their future now. They can’t afford to wait, while their equipment loses value and the equity in their businesses evaporates.

“They can’t afford to wait for a transition process that has not got off the ground and shows no signs of delivering any real benefit for their businesses or the communities they live in.

“With a 25 per cent drop in WA’s sheep flock our work is being badly affected. The void is not being filled by an already inadequate processing sector or by transporting sheep to other states. We know it is only going to get worse with another 25 per cent drop in sheep numbers on the horizon.

“I could see no evidence at the workshop of a genuine attempt to understand where the supply chain finds itself. Even if the sheep industry miraculously recovers, it will be too late for many rural transporters. Primary producers will find they don’t have access to professional transporters in their area and their costs will increase.”

Ben believes that the issues of the industry are not properly being listened to.

“As far as I’m concerned, the Department is ticking a box to say they have consulted, which is condescending and insulting to rural transporters who have significant capital investment at risk,” he says.

“It’s an insult to the people who live and work in rural communities. We’re being left behind, but we will keep fighting for a better outcome for our members.”