SHEEP Producers Australia has made a belated commitment to the Keep the Sheep Campaign and its goal to overturn federal legislation banning live sheep exports by sea from May 2028.

But the peak sheep producers body has claimed its constitution prevents it from holding a formal or financial role with Keep the Sheep.

The SPA commitment has come more than three weeks after it was first requested by the Keep the Sheep steering committee in August, and after questions from Sheep Central last week.

On 13 August, Keep the Sheep’s steering committee requested its members, and SPA, confirm their commitment to the grassroot group’s campaign to overturn the Albanese Government’s legislated live sheep trade ban, that will include fighting the policy in the coming Federal election next year.

Keep the Sheep has said it will target the Albanese Government’s live sheep export policy in marginal Labor seats in the next election and has also lobbied politicians in Canberra and nationally on the issue.

After SPA did not answer Sheep Central questions about the peak body’s failure to make the requested commitment and Sheep Central published Sheep Producers Australia shirks Keep the Sheep commitment SPA leaders offered Keep the Sheep steering committee chairman Mark Harvey-Sutton their qualified commitment to the campaign.

The original 13 August commitment request was made in the interests of putting in appropriate governance and was not contingent on a financial contribution; however, SPA is now seeking to clarify that its involvement is consistent with its constitution. The body’s constitution stipulates that: Sheep Producers Australia Limited shall be non-party political and shall not make donations to party funds.

Mr Harvey-Sutton, Mr Hassell and David Galvin are directors of Farming Families and Communities WA Ltd, which trades as Keep the Sheep. FFCWA Ltd is registered with the Australian Electoral Commission, but is not a political party. Mr Harvey-Sutton is also chief executive officer of the Australian Livestock Exporters Council.

An SPA employee protested about the initial Sheep Central story late Friday afternoon, but said a statement outlining the commitment would be emailed. This statement was not received until 2.30pm this afternoon, although an unattributed SPA statement was posted in the Sheep Central comment section on Saturday afternoon, also protesting the accuracy of the original story.

Mr Harvey-Sutton yesterday confirmed he received responses to Keep the Sheep’s August commitment request from SPA chief executive officer Bonnie Skinner at 3.34pm last Friday and from SPA director Bindi Murray, “confirming support for the campaign.”

Sheep Central has established that the SPA commitment Mr Harvey-Sutton received is similar to what SPA posted as an unattributed comment for consideration on Sheep Central on Saturday afternoon:

“Sheep Producers Australia has always and continues to strongly oppose any policy seeking to phase out the live sheep exports by sea.

Sheep Producers Australia supports the #KeeptheSheep campaign as a rejection of this policy and as a movement of the grassroots industry and supply chain to advocate to change this policy.

Sheep Producers Australia does not hold a formal or financial role in any registered political campaign in line with our constitutional requirements.

Sheep Producers Australia rejects the false and inaccurate content of this Sheep Central article.”

Mr Harvey-Sutton has also sought clarification as to whether SPA wanted to sit on the steering committee. Mr Hassell yesterday said the Keep the Sheep’s campaign on live sheep exports “is not a political campaign, this is a policy campaign.”

Mr Harvey-Sutton said Keep the Sheep has registered with the electoral commission “as a significant third party,” because Keep the Sheep has raised more than $250,000 to fight Labor’s sheep export policy.

“It just means that when you are looking at doing stuff around the election, which is what we’ve said we would do on the policy, when you raise over $250,000, you have to register with the electoral commission,” he said.

“We’re not actually backing a party, we are advocating on the issues.”

Sheep Central this morning asked if SPA could forward SPA’s new Keep the Sheep commitment statement via email in an attributable form — preferably from Ms Skinner or Mr Spencer — and not anonymously.

Sheep Central has also asked if SPA is concerned that making a renewed commitment to the Keep the Sheep campaign to overturn the live sheep phaseout legislation might be in contravention of SPA’s interpretation of its constitutional requirements to “not hold a formal or financial role in any registered political campaign.”

SPA cannot hold committee position on Keep the Sheep – Spencer

Mr Spencer this afternoon said Sheep Producers Australia has always and continues to strongly oppose any policy seeking to ban live sheep exports by sea.

“We have clearly and consistently voiced our opposition to a ban in our submissions, testimony in parliamentary inquiries, and representations, and also in supporting our grassroots sheep producers to engage in the policy consultation to demonstrate the negative impact a ban will have on our producers and their communities.

“Sheep Producers Australia supports the #KeeptheSheep campaign as a rejection of this policy and as a movement of the grassroots industry and supply chain to advocate to change this policy,” he said.

“Bonnie Skinner CEO and board director Bindi Murray have never been formal members of the Keep the Sheep steering committee, but were included in communications.

“Sheep Producers Australia’s constitution prevents the organisation from holding a formal or financial role, such as a formal steering committee position, in any registered political campaign like #KeeptheSheep,” Mr Spencer said.