Media Release

KAP Leader and Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter has delivered a brutal serve back at the Agriculture Minister after learning his government intended to strengthen regulatory management of the Australian live export trade in response to backlash over the Middle East sheep live export case of last year. 

Mr Katter said the promise of an independent inspector-general to further “police” the Agriculture Department’s regulation of the industry was just another case of the LNP making promises to act prior to an election.

He also reconfirmed his opposition to any phasing out of live exports or any further moves in the parliament to reduce the live export trade.

“I remain tenaciously opposed to any restrictions on live exports,” he said.

“And whilst the Liberal party and its free market policies have completely destroyed the sheep industry in northern Australia, which was the centre of the sheep industry, they have been so far alright on live exports.

“Having said that, they (the LNP) have been in government when these disasters have occurred. They are already policing them now. So what we are seeing now are a lot of “gunna dos” right before an election. Well excuse me for being cynical and sceptical about your “gunna dos”.

“You’ve been the Government of Australia for long enough. You knew what was happening with the live cattle in South East Asia and you did nothing about it.

“You have known what has been going on in the sheep industry and yet you’ve done nothing about it – we’re really going to believe your Government oversight, and not oversighting by the industry itself? Well who has the bigger interest? The cattlemen – do they have any say in this? No, they haven’t.

“This should be a case for those most vested to be able to vote on the majority of commission; a vote given to the cattlemen who sell in the live export trade. Only then will you see the policing take place real quick. Because there will be hell to pay if the people aren’t doing their job properly.

“There would not be a person in this country that would trust the Government to police anything.

“All we’ve got here is another serve of pre-election “gunna dos”. Well Mr Government, you haven’t done it. You’re not doing it. And you’re not going to do it. So stick your “gunna dos” up your jumper as far as I am concerned.

“Give us, the cattlemen, control of it; we will fix it real quick.”

—ENDS—