Nearly two-thousand Western Australia farmers and their supporters descended on Perth’s CBD this morning as part of a major protest against a ban on live sheep exports. The action was organised after the federal government introduced legislation to shut down the industry by 2028 due to ongoing animal welfare concerns.
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00:00An early start for an industry the Federal Government says is heading into the sunset.
00:09Hundreds of trucks and farm vehicles flooded Perth's busiest roads from across the state
00:17in a show of solidarity against a ban on live sheep exports.
00:20Farmers have had enough of being told and we're here to stand up and show the Government
00:28that we do listen and we've been doing it the best way and you guys need to stand up
00:32and listen now.
00:33The Federal Government announced it will end the trade in four years, but these farmers
00:37have vowed to fight that decision.
00:40We are now going to be activists, not just optimists, and that we will take direct action
00:47to make sure that this stupid policy is trashed and put in the bin.
00:52It's left cattle farmers worried they'll be next on the chopping block.
00:56It's the thin edge of the wedge.
00:57I'm a small beef farmer from Bridgetown.
00:59We can recognise that this doesn't bode well for the broader livestock industry is our
01:04opinion and that's why I'm here.
01:06We've seen communities become ghost towns because people have had to leave because there's
01:11no industry there anymore.
01:13But the Federal Agriculture Minister says there's no reason for concern.
01:17What we expect to happen as a result of this is many more jobs created in meat processing
01:23and that is where the growth in this industry is happening.
01:26This is an industry that has been in decline for 20 years under both sides of politics.
01:30The protest ended in Muche on the fringes of Perth with organisers sending a final warning
01:36to Canberra.
01:37If they don't listen then our fundraising campaign will take direct action in marginal
01:42seats to make sure we change government.
01:47An industry determined to survive.