Newsroom

May 16, 2024

RURAL Australia MP Bob Katter is asking the government why it “hates farmers” following its announcement of a ban on live sheep exports.

The Federal Government announced $107m in its 2024 budget for “a suite of actions for sheep producers and the supply chain” in the phase out of live exports from 2028.

“Why do you hate Australian farmers? The people that produce your food and fabric for your clothing, why do you hate them,” Mr Katter asked.

“Whether sheep are put into abattoirs in Australia or overseas would seem to be totally irrelevant.

“Why anyone would choose this is an ideological fashion statement heaven would only know. It is an ideological fashion statement and the result of this [fashion statement] will not be of any benefit to the sheep, but it will completely destroy what is left of the sheep and wool industry in Australia.”

Mr Katter said what remained of the sheep industry would decimated following this move.

“Paul Keating abolished the statutory marketing arrangements which allowed us to sell our wool aggressively.
“Unfortunately, this was done at a time when wool was the biggest export earner for this nation it was over $6bn and coal was only $5.9bn. It had been our biggest export item for all our nation’s history.

“For ideological reasons Keating abolished the statutory marketing scheme and as a result 75 percent of the sheep heard is gone, 75 percent of the wealth of this nation its biggest export item has vanished.

“He destroyed it, and now what is left of it will be destroyed by this person with a new ideological fashion statement.

“I believe there should be an intellectual test you should have to do to become a minister, because several minister's would fail miserably. I would also be interested to investigate their background before coming into parliament so we can establish how they could possibly come to such an imbecilic decision.

“The Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party had also proposed the same thing, therefore it must be ‘right’ if both side are doing it!

“What is happening out there is they are draining away all population from non-city coastal Australia.

“So, I ask again Why do you hate our farmers?”