Minister ‘refused to address’ farmers

Keep the Sheep campaign crowd gathered outside of Parliament House in Canberra. Photos: ALEC

Federal Agriculture minister Julie Collins refused to address a crowd of more than 2000 farmers, truckies and shearers outside Parliament House in Canberra on Tuesday, according to Keep the Sheep campaign coordinator Paul Brown.

“She invited us and others to meet with her but we said ‘no’,” Mr Brown said.

“We don’t need her to speak to three of four of us when there are thousands she needs to speak to, no point picking off the three or four.”

Ravensthorpe livestock Transporter and Keep the Sheep advocate Benno Sutherland said Shadow Agriculture minister David Littleproud and opposition leader Peter Dutton did address the crowd.

Ravensthorpe livestock transporter Benno Sutherland addresses the Canberra rally.

“It was a fairly successful day, we put a lot of effort in,” he said.

“They really do need to start listening to agriculture.”

Mr Sutherland’s truck was one of a convoy of more than 50 which drove to Parliament House, circled the precinct and returned to Canberra’s outskirts before the drivers returned to the protest rally by bus.

Australian Live Exporters Council chairman David Galvin said the Government ministers’ refusal to address the crows was “cowardly”.

“Adding insult to injury, when Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was asked a question in Parliament about why he is attacking Western Australian farmers, his answer was so rambling and tone deaf,” Mr Galvin said. 

“He repeated the line about having spoken to farmers from Kalgoorlie once again, leaving farmers in the gallery scoffing. How many sheep are in Kalgoorlie?!

“Despite repeatedly crowing about his 23 visits to WA, the Prime Minister hasn’t thought to check a map to see where the bulk of sheep actually come from.”

Mr Galvin said that the Prime Minister’s glib answer betrayed how he felt about Western Australians and they had every right to be disappointed.

Agriculture minister Julie Collins said she could “understand the frustration”.

“I know that some farmers are doing it tough, as are some in the Australian community and, you know, they’ve got a right to come to Canberra,” she said.

“I offered to meet with them. I’m not getting that opportunity, but I am meeting with the National Farmers Federation. I am meeting with the Live Export Council. I’ll continue to engage.”

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