Coalition adjourns legislation to apply tougher rules for live sheep exports with Sussan Ley refusing to backdown on her push to end them

The prospect of the Liberal MP siding with the opposition was a live option on Thursday when the government was poised to bring forward its legislation which would apply tougher regulations to the live sheep export industry.

In response, opposition spokesman for agriculture, Joel Fitzgibbon, flagged an intention to move amendments to the bill which would have mirrored Ms Ley’s private member’s bill introduced into parliament last week with the support of fellow Liberals, Sarah Henderson and Jason Wood.

But the government decided to pull the bill from the agenda.

“The government’s bill, which introduces new laws to regulate the live sheep trade, hasn’t been withdrawn. It has been adjourned to debate at a later date,” Ms Ley said.

“This is not unusual on the floor of the house, particularly on the last sitting day of the week when we have other important legislation which should receive priority.

“As a back-bench Liberal MP, I have reserved my right to cross the floor if that might be needed, down the track.

“I am advocating my case with colleagues and working towards the bill receiving cross-party support.”

Ms Ley said the McCarthy review recommendations wouldn’t make the industry viable for exporters.

“If the rules were actually enforced, access to feed, water and rest, avoiding high heat stress, no commercial operator would undertake the trade,” she said.

“Unfortunately this is an industry with an operating model built on the suffering of animals.”

Nationals’ deputy leader Bridget McKenzie urged Ms Ley to remain loyal to the government’s plans to improve live sheep exports.

“As deputy leader of the Nationals, I expect every Coalition member to be behind us in supporting our agricultural industries,” she said.

“We need to give certainty to farmers and the 1800 workers across Australia who depend on the live sheep trade.

“The Australian live animal export industry prides itself as a secure and reliable source of food and agribusiness investment  for a number of Middle East countries.

“Once again the Labor Party has shown it does not back our Australian farmers.”

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