They came from all corners of the state to deliver a clear message to the federal government – the export ban on live sheep by ship is going to have a devastating impact on WA’s rural communities and businesses.
Hundreds of truckies, farmers and their families, swamped the Perth CBD today with horns blaring and emotions running high after Labor announced the ban, effective from May 2028.
Co-organiser of the rally, Ben Sutherland, who runs the busy Ravensthorpe-based 5K Livestock and Bulk, was thrilled with the turnout.
“We’re standing up to say we’re not happy with this decison, and we’ve hopefully been heard to say that rural WA is not impressed,” the vice president (livestock) of the Livestock and Rural Transport Association of WA (LRTAWA) told Big Rigs from Perth.
The convoy also doubled as the official launch of the Keep the Sheep campaign, a grassroots movement aiming to take action against the Albanese government’s ban.
“We’ll just decompress from this and work it out from there,” said Sutherland when asked about what the campaign’s next move would be.
“We’ll keep the fight on, the fight will keep going.”
Another organiser Paul Brown said it was the final straw for rural communities across Western Australia.
“We’re just saying enough is enough, we won’t stand for this, we want the legislation revoked,” Brown told ABC News.
The Coalition has vowed to save the trade if it wins the next election, with Opposition leader Peter Dutton saying the shutdown would have “enormous consequences” for Australian jobs and agriculture.