Hundreds of farmers swarm Perth roads with trucks to protest Albanese government’s live export ban

Farmers have been driving their trucks and tractors into Perth today to protest against federal government to end the liver sheep export trade.

Transcript

00:00I'm here at Kwinana Freeway near Mundajong where hundreds of farmers and others involved

00:06in the agriculture sector got into their vehicles to drive to Perth.

00:10There are convoys approaching the city from four directions.

00:14Organisers say there was so much interest they had to start turning people down.

00:18They want to highlight the plight of the agriculture sector under the federal and state governments.

00:23They've been specifically motivated by the federal government's plans to shut down the

00:27overseas live sheep trade.

00:29They think the cattle trade could be next and there will be knock-on effects throughout

00:32the rural sector.

00:33I hope a lot of politicians pull their head out of their bum and listen to us today because

00:39it needs to happen.

00:40We are a majority but we're sort of treated as a minority and we need to be heard.

00:46It's contemptuous, it's a casual indifference really to the farming industry broadly and

00:54I think if this doesn't send a message to Canberra that there's a real issue with their

00:59policy at the moment and their mandate then what does?

01:02Farmers have had enough of being told and we're here to stand up and show the government

01:06that we do listen and we've been doing it the best way and you guys need to stand up

01:11and listen now.

01:12They say the federal government is disengaged with the sector and has shown disrespect for

01:16farmers and they believe the people of Perth will support them despite the traffic disruption.

01:22Farmers say it's time for those involved in the agriculture sector to be activists

01:26rather than optimists.