Roger Cook says WA Labor’s opposition to live sheep ban ‘clear’, as insiders fear issue will cost them Albany

Regional seats will be won and lost on State issues, Premier Roger Cook has insisted after Labor insiders expressed fears a Federal live export ban would cost them the seat of Albany. A senior Labor source told The West the Great Southern battleground seat — held by first-term MP Rebecca Stephens — was “the only electorate in WA where the ban on live sheep exports” was “putting us at risk”. Albany councillor and emergency doctor Thomas Brough is running for the Liberals and seeking to overturn an 11 point margin on March 8. While campaigning in Midland on Monday, Mr Cook said WA Labor had been clear “all along” that it did not agree with the Albanese Government’s decision to phase out the live sheep trade. “But the federal parliament, has passed laws now in relation to this, and those laws will come into being,” he said. “We obviously need to work with the farming community, now, to make sure that we can assist them as part of this transition.” Mr Cook touted his Government’s success in lobbying the Federal Government to increase the transition fund from $107 million to $139.7 million. “You don’t win every every battle in politics, but you do make sure that when you don’t win the battle, that you win the war,”he said. “In this case, making sure that Western Australian farmers have the backing of their State government, and that’s what they have. “We oppose the ban on live sheep exports. It’s not a decision of our making.” Asked if Federal Labor was costing him votes, the Premier insisted it was State issues that mattered. “We’re campaigning in a State election, which is about State issues,” Mr Cook said. “It’s about WA Labor having a plan for the people of Western Australia, about keeping our economy strong, making sure that we’re investing in more housing, more investments in healthcare and more cost of living measures.” Albany has been a perennial pick up target for the Liberals, with former Olympian Peter Watson keeping it in the red column for two decades until he retired in 2021. Hopes Mr Watson’s exit could see the seat flip were washed away amid a tsunami of support for Mark McGowan’s handling of COVID. This election campaign, the seat has seen Mr Cook, Liberal leader Libby Mettam and a procession of ministers visit, as the electorate shapes up to be a key battleground. Dr Brough sparked controversy as a councillor when he claimed the plus in LGBTQ+ included paedophiles — comments he doubled down on before apologising for.