National Farmer Rally: Fed-up farmers descend on Canberra to protest Labor Government policies

[Pelican Press 0]

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National Farmer Rally: Fed-up farmers descend on Canberra to protest Labor Government policies

Dozens of trucks have rolled past Parliament House as thousands of fed-up farmers descend on Canberra for a major protest against the Federal Government’s agriculture agenda.

A crowd of at least 2000 people is expected to converge on the lawns outside Parliament for the National Farmer Rally, starting at 11am local time.

Hundreds of farmers lined the overpass outside Parliament on Tuesday morning, waving posters that read “Keep the Sheep”, “No Farmers No Future No Food” and “You can’t eat red tape” as an estimated 60 trucks rolled through around 10.15 am local time.

The protest – organised by the WA-based Keep the Sheep campaign – is being billed as the first of its kind in 40 years as some of the nation’s largest agriculture bodies unite against the Federal Government.

The farmers’ long list of grievances includes the planned shutdown of the live sheep export trade by 2028, water buybacks and the acquisition of land to build new transmission lines for renewable energy projects.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton and Nationals leader David Littleproud are expected to speak at the rally, where they will recommit to repealing the live export ban if the Coalition wins the next Federal Election.

Former WA Opposition leader and Nationals candidate for Bullwinkel Mia Davies will attend the event, as will the Liberals’ candidate for the new federal seat, Matt Moran.

Camera IconProtesters hold up signs during a National farmers rally outside Parliament in Canberra. Credit: X formerly

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The West understands Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will not attend the rally but is scheduled to meet with the National Farmers’ Federation on Tuesday.

Agriculture Minister Julie Collins will also meet with NFF and other industry representatives this week but won’t attend the rally.

The West understands Ms Collins invited Keep the Sheep campaigners to meet in her office but the offer was turned down.

In a statement to The West on Monday, Ms Collins again defended Labor’s decision to end the live sheep export trade.

“The Government took this policy to the 2022 election, and we have gone about implementing it in a consultative manner to ensure certainty for the sector,” she said.

“The Government is committed to the sheep industry in Australia, and we remain confident that there is a strong future for the sheep industry and those associated with the sector.”

Ms Collins – who missed last week’s WA cabinet visit – plans to meet farmers when she travels to the State later this year.

More to come

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