WA farm leaders snub Murray Watt during Federal Agriculture Minister’s Perth visit

The heads of WA’s peak farm lobby groups refused to meet with Murray Watt in Perth this week after the Federal Agriculture Minister offered them just 30 minutes to discuss “an avalanche of issues” facing the sector. WAFarmers president John Hassell had requested the meeting weeks ago but boycotted it on Monday, telling Countryman half an hour was “not enough time” to achieve any meaningful outcomes. “I feel quite slighted by Murray and thought ‘well, why bother if he’s going to treat us with such contempt’,” Mr Hassell said. “There’s a lot of ground to cover; there’s so much coming at us that we don’t know which way to turn.” Mr Hassell cited numerous unpopular Albanese Government policies including its plan to shut down WA’s $92 million live sheep trade, the heavy vehicle road user charge, and a new biosecurity levy on primary producers set to take effect in July. He said farmers also had ongoing concerns about the Cook Labor Government’s changes to WA’s 50-year-old Aboriginal Heritage Act. “It’s an absolute avalanche. For a man who’s supposed to be the Minister for Agriculture, he’s doing a pretty good job at being against agriculture,” Mr Hassell said. “I think he’s just treating us with contempt, and I’m not going to pander to that by going to his meeting.” Senator Watt said he was taken aback by Mr Hassell’s absence. “I was a bit surprised Mr Hassell boycotted a meeting that he demanded we have, but we had a respectful discussion with those who did turn up,” Senator Watt said. “It was a respectful meeting that gave me a chance to set the record straight on the department’s handling of the MV Bahijah issue. “There’s been a lot of rumours and accusations that are blatantly not true, so it is important to ensure these farm groups have the facts.” Among those at the meeting was WAFarmers livestock section president Geoff Pearson, as well as representatives from PGA and the WA Livestock Exporters Association Mr Pearson said Senator Watt would not say when the Government would publicly release a recent report containing recommendations on how and when to shut down the live sheep export industry. “He could not give us a time or date or give us any context of what was in the findings,” Mr Pearson said. PGA president Tony Seabrook also declined to attend the meeting, accusing the Albanese Government of “working against” farmers. “He’s meant to be there to help us, not tell us what the views of a minority of the population in inner city Melbourne hold,” Mr Seabrook said. “I’m incensed that this man has brought to the table his view on what agriculture should look like. We live it, we eat it, we breathe it. It’s our industry, and he should be there to help us.” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his ministers met in Perth on Monday for their third Cabinet meeting in WA since winning the May 2022 Federal election. Senator Watt said he would also meet with WA Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis and “a number of other local farmers and their organisations,” while in WA. He has previously met with WA farm lobby groups on five separate occasions in the past 18 months.