
A Keep the Sheep billboard in Perth.
THE Keep the Sheep campaign extended its Western Australian electoral program this week with a series of billboards and letterbox leaflets across Perth.
The campaign that has raised about $450,000 in donations to fund its electoral program for an end to the legislated banning of live sheep exports by sea in May 2028 put up billboards in three federal seats this week.
The billboards went up in the Perth suburbs of Bassendean (federal seat of Hasluck), Midvale (Bullwinkel) and in Como (Swan/Tangney). Keep the Sheep intends to contest the election of Labor candidates in Tangney, Swan, Hasluck and Bullwinkel.

Keep the Sheep spokesman Ben Sutherland
Keep the Sheep spokesman Ben Sutherland said the campaign will also venture east in August after having a presence at the recent Australian Sheep and Wool Show in Bendigo earlier this month.
Mr Sutherland said donations have come ‘mum and dad’ supporters, but the campaign was also seeking a major donor, with a media report suggesting mining magnate and beef producer Gina Rinehart was a target.
Mr Sutherland said the campaign would welcome any support, but is hoping for a major donor.
“Big, little or small, that’s what I was getting at.
“We’re not getting too out of hand; we’re just starting with what we can afford.”
He said he left the campaign’s strategy up to its political adviser , but there was already a focus on seeking support in areas where beef producers were concerned about the future for live cattle exports.
“Cattle is next,” he said.
Mr Sutherland said the billboards are backed up by advertising and letterbox volunteers, and a national rally will be held in September.
Mr Sutherland said he will be at the Sheepvention expo in Hamilton, Victoria, at the weekend and at Lambex in Adelaide next week.
He said the reaction to the campaign so far has been “pretty strong.”
“All those donations are from Mum and Dads, there is no major donor in there yet.
“I would really like to see one.”
Mr Sutherland said the billboards were a demonstration of how much this issue meant to the community, in the country and in metro Perth.
“We know people are passionate and it’s great to be able to share the message in the city that people want to stand with our regional communities against this unfair ban,” he said.
“We want to see your best selfies with the billboards and keep sharing the message that the community stands with farmers, truckies and shearers.”
Mr Watt has awakened a sleep giant

The Livestock Collective’s Marion Lewis and Keep the Sheep saupporter Darrell Ventris in Bendigo.
Livestock Collective project co-ordinator Marion Lewis was at the Keep the Sheep stand at the recent sheep and wool show in Bendigo and said the campaign has had success in education people from non-agricultural backgrounds about the issue.
The Keep the Sheep petition calling for the reinstatement of the trade has received more than 80,000 signatures since 31 May this year.
“It’s a national issue and we’re here to activate our counterparts here in the eastern states,” Ms Lewis said.
“We’ve had a really positive reaction from everyone; we’ve heard the presidents from each stud association from each state speak this morning.
“They’re here to fight for us.”
Ms Lewis said the campaign has had success in education people from non-agricultural backgrounds about the issue.
“We’ve had people reach out from other states saying ‘we’re backing you, what can we do to support you’ and we are working on doing a national rally in September in Canberra.
“We’re activating everyone that is potentially affected by the ban and getting their support.”
WA visitor and Keep the Sheep supporter Darrell Ventris said the sheep ban had the potential to lead to a ban on cattle exports and affect other rural businesses.
“Politically, it could have an effect right across Australia, not just in targeted areas.
“We’ve got Murray Watt to thanks for awakening a sleeping giant,” he said.
“By nature, people in the country are conservative and get on with the job at home without getting involved in politics and issues of the day.”
He believed the Albanese Government has underestimated the community reaction to the legislated ban, with about 2000 people turning up ay Muresk to attend a House of Representative inquiry hearing into phaseout legislation.
I’d much rather see – ‘Keep sending Aussie sheep to the Middle East by three weeks at sea for fully conscious slaughter – vote Liberals/Nationals’ billboards, not the ambiguous ‘Keep the Sheep’ messaging that sounds like you want to keep them here, not send them overseas for slaughter.
But I suppose truth and transparency have never been characteristic of the live animal export trade.
If the Liberals think they’re going to gain votes by promising to reinstate or “save” a trade that the majority of Australians find repugnant, they’re in for a rude awakening.
I would love to hang up a banner on: “Keep the Sheep”, how do I get one?
Warm wishes
Elle