Leaked live export aid plan fuels fears funding won't help sheep farmers
West Australian farmers say a leaked draft of how the federal government may spend $45.5 million to help the sheep industry survive without live exports is a farce.
The say the leaked plan "from the Canberra bubble" demonstrates the department's incompetence.
Under the Commonwealth's $139.7m live export transition assistance package, $45.5m was earmarked for sheep producers and the associated supply chain to assist them in preparing for the end of the live sheep trade in May 2028.
In 2021-22 the West Australian sheep and wool industries were worth $1.35 billion.
(
ABC Mid West Wheatbelt: Jo Prendergast
)
A leaked draft document from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), marked "confidential", is circulating within the WA sheep industry and reveals how the government is planning to distribute the money to sheep producers, truck drivers and shearing contractors.
Farmers argue that $45.5m is not enough, and the department appears to agree with its notes on the risk and sensitivities of its funding plans.
The document notes $15m to be spent developing satellite feedlots and confinement feeding may have "insufficient funds to make a strategic difference".
Under the draft plan, shearing contractors could receive $30,000 for retraining.
(
ABC Mid West Wheatbelt: Jo Prendergast
)
A department note on a plan to spend $5m to create a new long-term strategy to build confidence and shape a direction for the sheep meat and wool industries "identifies a range of potentially expensive priorities, beyond the scope of the $5m allocated".
Corrigin-based sheep producer Steven Bolt said the leaked document made him question if the government was taking the process seriously.
"It's just incompetence from the department,"
he said.
Mr Bolt said many businesses impacted by a shrinking sheep flock — such as pasture seed cleaners or ram breeders — were not considered in the report.
The document reveals producers can apply for $150,000 in grants, matched dollar for dollar, for confinement feeding.
Under the plan, sheep producers would receive a financial advice and a business planning grant of $40,000, if they had sent an average of 1,000 sheep per year for the past three years to live export.
Grants of $30,000 are planned for trucking and logistics companies and for employers of shearers, wool classers and shed hands.
"The funds that are available will never be anywhere close to enough to mitigate the damage that has been caused, or provide sustainability or growth in the industry going forward,"
Mr Bolt said.
WA Farmers president Steve McGuire.
(
ABC Great Southern: Andrew Chounding
)
'Looking for an easy solution'
WA Farmers president Steve McGuire said the planned spend did nothing to reduce risk and restore confidence in the sheep industry, labeling it a "shemozzle" from "the Canberra bubble".
"They're looking for an easy solution, but there is no easy solution, and this is what we warned them about from day dot, and they did not listen,"
he said.
"So $30,000 for a trucking company, that will buy one tipper, and the idea that shearing contractors will become agricultural employment brokers? Good luck with that."
Mr McGuire said the ability of live export to take large numbers of sheep at certain times of the year provided a risk-management tool that the government had provided no alternative to.
"Until processors offer a contract a year ahead … no-one is taking the risk away from the farmer," he said.
The wool industry is a valuable employer in regional areas.
(
ABC Mid West Wheatbelt: Jo Prendergast
)
In February, DAFF held 16 co-design workshops with industry and community across WA, where it asked for ideas on how to create confidence and profitability in the sheep industry without live export.
On its website, DAFF says industry funding programs are expected to open in July after a co-design process with regional communities and industry.
"The department is aware of the inadvertent distribution of a draft document which reflects early internal planning for one component of the phase-out of live sheep exports by sea assistance program," a department spokesperson said.
"
A range of options are still in development by the department. The document has not been provided to the government.
"
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