Murray Watt denies access to live export phase-out report

In correspondence received by ACM Agri, from Mr Watt's office, the request to view the document was rejected.

The letter said the report had been made a Cabinet document, effectively sealing it, never to be released.

"The Office holds one document (totalling 230 pages) that relates to your request," the letter said.

"I have decided to refuse access to this document (document one), I have decided that the document that you have requested is exempt under the FOI Act as it is a Cabinet document (section 34(3))."

Under Section 34(3) of the FOI Act provides that:

A document is an exempt document to the extent that it contains information the disclosure of which would reveal a Cabinet deliberation or decision, unless the existence of the deliberation or decision has been officially disclosed.

This was the reasoning behind the refusal and it was made clear that this applied to the report in its entirety.

"The report contains information that goes to Cabinet deliberations which, if disclosed, would reveal those Cabinet deliberations.

"No deliberation or decision associated with the report has been officially disclosed.

"Further, I consider that the exemption of those parts of the document is necessary to maintain the confidentiality of the Cabinet process, such that the principle of collective ministerial responsibility is not undermined (see paragraph 5.55 of the Guidelines).

"In conclusion, I have decided to refuse access to one document.

"I have decided that document one is exempt, in full, under section 34(3) of the FOI Act."

Australian Livestock Exporters Council (ALEC) chief executive officer Mark Harvey-Sutton said the decision to make the report a Cabinet document and not release it publicly was expected, but the public, sheep producers and exporters of Western Australia should be allowed to see the report's contents as the outcomes directly affect them.

"Clearly the fact that these requests have gone in, indicates that there is a desire for transparency around this process," Mr Harvey-Sutton said.

"Obviously there is a lot on the line and this has resulted in people not feeling very confident at the moment.

"We've seen what's happened to the market and this policy has a big part to do with that and in the interest of transparency we would obviously like to see that report made public."

However, Mr Harvey-Sutton said ALEC's position remained clear that the only outcome it would accept is a complete reversal of the policy and with the stated length of the report, there is obviously a lot of information to be considered.

"I do find it interesting that the document seems to be over 200 pages," he said.

"This shows the depths, the lengths and the detail that the panel has put into the report to the minister.

"And I believe it will demonstrate the significant damage it will do to the sheep industry nationally and illustrate the dire consequences for agriculture more broadly."

The report was handed to the minister on October 25 by the Independent Panel and a government spokesperson at the time confirmed the minister would release the report in full - at a time that had yet to be decided.

"The independent panel delivered its report to Minister Watt on Wednesday 25 October," the spokesperson said.

"In Senate Estimates on Tuesday October 24, the minister committed to releasing the panel's report in due course.

"It will take some time for the government to consider the recommendations of the independent panel and develop an implementation plan for the phase-out.

"The government will not be commenting on the details of the report while it carefully considers the recommendations and appropriate responses.

"The government remains committed to building a positive future for the Western Australian sheep industry, built on more onshore processing jobs and increasing sheep meat exports.".