Perth Voice Interactive

A COALITION of animal protection organisations, led by WA-based not-for-profit Stop Live Exports, have unveiled a new campaign against live animal export leading up to the looming federal election, while claiming cruelty has continued to this week.

The Keep The Sheep Here campaign will feature a digital advertising and billboard blitz, and election discussion paper highlighting the ongoing suffering of Australian sheep in the live export trade.

The organisations say the Nationals’ pledge to overturn legislation phasing out the trade if the Opposition wins government placed animal suffering squarely on the ballot paper.

Stop Live Exports WA spokesperson Ruth Gourley says it defies common sense and decency.

“The live sheep export trade is cruel, outdated and unnecessary, and it’s not supported by the overwhelming majority of fair-minded Australians, and that includes Western Australians,” Ms Gourley said.

“A reversal of the phase out would cause outrage within the community and we’re going to make sure people across the country are fully aware of where all parties and candidates stand on this brutal and unnecessary trade.”

Tangney will be one of the electorates targeted by the campaign, with adverts featuring images of Australian sheep suffering from heat stress as well as cruel handling and slaughter practices in importing countries

Alliance for Animals policy director Jed Goodfellow said the phase-out made sense for both animal welfare and economic reasons which is why it resonated with most Australians.

“The trade is already on the way out, with or without the phase-out legislation, having shrunk by over 90 per cent in the past 20 years and hitting a record low of just 419,000 sheep in 2024 – that’s a 34 per cent drop from the previous year,” Dr Goodfellow said.

“It’s time to focus on the significant value-adding opportunities that come with keeping the sheep here, processing them in Australian supply chains, by Australian workers, to Australian standards.

“This is the future and there’s a $139.7 million transition package on the table to help the industry secure it.”