Steve Martin: WA sheep flock statistics not surprising given lack of confidence, uncertainty

The WA Government’s recent revelation that the WA sheep flock has plummeted 30 per cent in the past three years is distressing but not surprising. At a recent Estimates hearing into the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s 2024-25 annual report, I asked the WA Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis for the latest flock numbers and was told the flock had shrunk to 8.6 million as of June 30 this year. DPIRD’s own publication, the Sheep Industry Turn-Off Update — released in September — stated the WA flock numbered 12.4 million as of July 2022, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics data. That report stated bluntly that “industry confidence during 2024 was low due to poor seasonal conditions, low prices and uncertainty due to the Australian Government’s announcement of the phase out of live export of sheep by sea”. I don’t believe the WA livestock sector is uncertain at all. In fact, quite the opposite. WA sheep producers are absolutely certain that the Labor Government in Canberra doesn’t support them, doesn’t value their ability to feed Australians and millions of people around the globe, and doesn’t want their industry to survive. And any Government talk of an orderly and supported “transition” out of live sheep to an unspecified future is seen for exactly what it is: empty words and spin. Farmers don’t have the luxury of sitting on their hands while a market for their produce is “phased out” by politicians. They have to act and make hard decisions quickly and decisions are being made to get out of sheep. And how is the delivery of Labor’s transition package progressing? At the Estimates hearing I also asked if any livestock farmers had received funds from either the Federal or State Labor Government. The answer was a fairly long-winded no. The good news is that Labor has not left everybody empty-handed. It was revealed in February that $2.3 million of taxpayers’ money has found its way into the pockets of American company Universal McCann for a national advertising campaign to explain the live sheep transition process. Exactly why the concerned citizens of inner-city Melbourne and Sydney needed to be brought up to speed on the latest developments on how the live sheep sector will be transitioned into extinction remains unclear. Unless it was about votes, of course. Also unclear is the language from the Federal Department of Agriculture which explains that the transition assistance will assist the sector to “leverage technology to improve feedback loops and position producers to best meet market and consumer requirements”. I guess when and if any money does make it growers the “feedback loops” will be made clear. In the meantime, anecdotal reports from stock agents on the health of the industry are unequivocal. Some agents have seen between 30 and 50 per cent of their clients exit the industry. Good prices in the saleyards have softened the blow but also encouraged wavering growers to sell a few more breeding ewes while values are high. Recent good cropping seasons have also played a role in the battle for hectares between grain and livestock with canola and barley winning out against wethers and wool, particularly in the higher rainfall areas that had traditional been livestock strongholds. Farmers understand the inherent risks associated with their industry. They know they are largely price takers who rely heavily on the weather. They know commodity prices are volatile and that they must make productivity gains just to keep pace with rising costs. They don’t want or expect handouts, but they do deserve supportive ministers and governments who back in their industries and have a plan for the future. Does the WA Labour Government have a plan for the future of the sheep industry or are they happy to sit back and watch the flock numbers continue to fall off a cliff? Steve Martin is a Liberal MLC