Keep the Sheep trucks in protest through Perth’s | Australian Markets

Keep the Sheep campaigners heartened by the overwhelming assist from people dwelling in Perth say they’re desirous to show them that farmers aren’t a “bunch of country hicks”.

Hundreds of automobiles and trucks took to the streets of Perth this morning to show their assist for farmers and protest the Albanese Government’s plan to ban stay sheep exports by May 2028.

Four convoys, beginning at Bedfordale, Mundijong, Neerabup and Fremantle, met at 7.30am earlier than following a set route through Perth earlier than converging at Quarry Farm at Whitby at 10am.

Addressing a 200-plus crowd at the Neerabup start line this morning, Keep the Sheep rally organiser Paul Brown — who’s working for the Nationals in the Senate — stated the motion aimed to be “peaceful but effective”.

“We are not here to cause chaos, we are here to send a message,” he stated.

“It is important to show everyone that farmers are not bunch of country hicks, like we believe Anthony Albanese was trying to portray us as.”

Keep the Sheep campaigners have mobilised towards Federal Labor MPs in current weeks, concentrating on marginal seats like Tangney, Hasluck, Swan, Pearce and Cowan as voters waited for the date of the Federal election to be known as.

The Albanese Government has legislated that stay sheep exports will finish by May 2028, whereas the Coalition has vowed to overturn it.

Mr Brown, who owns a cattle feedlot in the Pilbara, stated he believed farmers protesting the ban had the ear and eyes of these dwelling in the metropolis after holding a related rally final yr.

“The overwhelming message that came out of that first rally was support for what we were doing, support for the farming community, and support for the shearers, truck drivers and regional communities that Mr Albanese is trying to devastate,” he stated.

“City people came out, they waved their signs, they tooted their horns… and on feedback radio, people who were disrupted did not mind what we were doing.”

Mr Brown additionally revealed the Keep the Sheep campaigners deliberate to carry “Perth’s biggest barbecue” in the Perth CBD in coming weeks to bridge the metropolis and nation divide.

“We want the people of Perth to support us… and their support has continued to gather that support from day one,” he stated.

Miling sheep farmer Michelle Barnard and her seven-year-old son Kieran made the 200km journey to be amongst the crowd at the Neerabup start line to show their “extreme disappointment”.

The Barnards — whose household has been farming in the Wheatbelt since 1907 — consider they are going to lose 25 per cent of their income and their area people can be “severely affected” if the ban goes forward.

“We came to show our disappointment in the Labor Government, and that we want this ban to be overturned,” Ms Barnard stated.

“Farmers in rural communities have had enough. The effect of this ban will be devastating.

“Farmers are feeling disheartened. Farming is a tough gig at the mercy of the weather, and now we have to fight the government too.

“All we want to do is get on and farm, and put food on people’s tables.”

Holding his signal at the entrance of the crowd, Kieran stated he was “really proud” to be a farmers’ son.

“I want to be a farmer and a livestock truck driver,” he stated.

“I came here to hold my sign and be the loudest voice out there.”

It wasn’t simply Wheatbelt farmers amongst the crowd, with livestock truck driver Mick Tierney making the 850km journey from Mileura Station close to Cue to show his assist.

A farmers’ son from Kalannie initially, he stated livestock trucking enabled his dad and mom to put him and his sibling through boarding college.

“I know how important the sheep industry is,” he stated.

“Our station cattle are exported from Fremantle on ships shared with sheep… so this ban would have an impact on pastoralists as well.”

Long-term associates Max Smith, Harvey Goudge and Wayne Briggs, had been amongst the crowd clapping on the convoy because it departed Neerabup earlier than becoming a member of in their trucks.

Mr Smith, a sheep farmer from Wannamal, stated the trio had been gravely involved about the wider influence the stay sheep export ban would have on regional and rural communities.

“When farming is damaged, the rest of us suffer… transporters, suppliers, repairers and mechanics, there is a flow on to small towns which are already struggling,” he stated.

“A ban like this will have an enormous impact.”

The rally comes after more than 1700 automobiles and 3000 people took half in a related motion on May 28 final yr.