Labor rejects move to limit live sheep trade but insists on phase out

Despite pressure from The Greens and an independent MP, the government said it would only begin winding the trade down after consultation with the industry, farmers and the Western Australian government.

The Greens put forward a disallowance motion in the Senate, which sought to restore the northern summer prohibition export restrictions to their original format.

The regulations were designed to stop sheep from being exported to the Middle East in the hottest parts of the year, but the former Coalition government relaxed the restrictions by almost a month earlier this year.

Greens Senator and the party's deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi said the "cunning timing" of the changes just before the election meant the Senate had no opportunity to scrutinise them.

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"The regulations weren't perfect but did provide protection to animals in the hottest months," Senator Faruqi said.

"Although we believe the entire industry should be shut down because it is beyond repair and its social licence has expired.... this is one small step on the journey to animal welfare."

Labor's former agricultural spokesperson Julie Collins previously expressed concern about relaxing the regulations in a debate with her then-counterpart David Littleproud.

However, Labor and the Coalition politicians said the Greens' proposal would reduce animal welfare standards, as they would undo other amendments to the northern summer prohibition.

"These include shorter fleece length, maximum sheep weight limits, minimum pen air turnover rates and increased pen space," Labor Senator Raff Ciccone said.

"These actions all strengthen animal welfare based on science and data. That's why I think many of us were surprised by this disallowance motion. The Greens in moving this, really fail to understand the real issue they're trying to deal with."

Labor insisted it still intended to phase out the live sheep trade, but would not look to do so within this term of government.

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Independent Tasmanian MP Andrew Wilkie flagged his intention to bring on a similar motion in the Lower House. However, with both Labor and the Coalition rejecting the Greens motion in the Senate, it appears destined to fail.

"This would be a very straight-forward politically-easy reform for Labor to embrace, given it's consistent with what they've already said about the live sheep trade," Mr Wilkie said.

Mr Wilkie has been an outspoken advocate for shutting down live export trades all together, but acknowledged it took time to adjust farming practices.

"I'd love to end it overnight, but to be fair to the industry there has to be a transition period, as they may change breeds, adjust their flocks or move into cropping," he said.

"Realistically, the political solution is to phase it over a period of time, and that period is up to experts to decide, not a politician from Hobart."

Although the Liberals and Nationals agreed with Labor to reject the disallowance motion, both parties slammed the government's plan to phase out the industry.

Western Australian Liberal Senator Dean Smith said Australia's participation in the live sheep trade meant the nation's high standards were replicated by other traders across the world.

"If this motion was supported, we would get this perverse outcome, where countries with lower animal welfare standards would be lifted in global trade to fill the void left by Australia," Senator Smith said.

Nationals Senator Perin Davey said Australia had the strongest animal welfare measures in the world, and to walk away from the industry would simply be "exporting the problem".

"The countries that rely on live animal markets will look elsewhere," she said.