Nationals Leader David Littleproud has labelled the Prime Minister “completely out of touch” following his hurtful comments about live sheep exports at an agricultural awards night.
Prime Minister Albanese shocked the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award gala dinner at Parliament House when he said he’d dined earlier with the Indonesian President-Elect earlier, with the PM stating: “when we had dinner, beautiful Australian beef, not the live export, we made sure it was dead.”
Mr Littleproud says he had been contacted by farmers across the country, including campaigners from Keep the Sheep, who are extremely upset by the comment, adding Farmers were already planning a rally outside Parliament House on September 10 to highlight the contempt they have been shown by Labor, the Prime Minister’s comments only reiterating how let down and betrayed our farmers feel and if anything, farmers will now be even more encouraged and energised to join the rally.
Australia Livestock Exporters’ Council CEO Mark Harvey-Sutton says the Prime Minister’s comments show he doesn’t understand the industry, and that the Prime Minister to be making light of the demise of live exports at a rural industry dinner, mere weeks after passing the devastating live sheep ban, shows an astounding lack of judgement and complete disregard for rural Australia and the families that are hurting as a result of their government’s poor decisions.
