- Prime Minister makes awkward comment on live animal exports
- He was heading to a gala in Canberra with 600 farmers.
Farmers have been left ‘disgusted to the core’ after Anthony Albanese appeared to make a joke about eating live exports at an agricultural awards dinner.
The Prime Minister made the bizarre comment while addressing around 600 people at the AgriFutures Rural Women Award gala in Parliament on Tuesday night.
Referring to a meal he shared with Indonesian President-elect Prabowo, Mr Albanese said: “We had dinner, beautiful Australian beef, not live export, we made sure it was dead.”
Earlier this year, the Labour Party announced that live sheep exports would be phased out over a four-year period, ending completely in May 2028. The decision was widely criticised by farmers, who said the ban would decimate their businesses.
One guest at the gala told X that there was an “audible murmur of discontent in the room” when Albanese made the joke.
On Wednesday, National leader David Littleproud said he had been contacted by farmers who interpreted the comment as a mockery of their industry.
Pictured: Farmers and farmworkers attending the dinner on Tuesday night.
“It is incomprehensible that the Prime Minister would choose the AgriFutures Awards – a night celebrating our agricultural industry – to mock our industries,” Littleproud said.
He said farmers were planning a demonstration outside parliament on September 10 over the ban on live exports, and more people were now likely to join the demonstration.
Farmers also took to social media to criticise the prime minister.
“Really?” wrote one X user.
‘On a night when the outstanding contribution of rural women is being celebrated, how could Anthony Albanese be so out of touch as to think a joke about (the export of live animals) would land?
‘I wonder if he’ll lead the #FarmyArmy on September 10th’
Another said: “If this isn’t reason enough to be together at the national farmers’ protest in Canberra on September 10, then I don’t know what is.”
The event was an awards night for women in agriculture (pictured)
A third user wrote: “Wow. I literally can’t read what’s going on in the room. What a disgusting comment.”
Ben Sutherland, chairman of WA Livestock and Rural Transporters and spokesman for Keep the Sheep, said he felt betrayed and hurt.
“I feel deeply upset,” he said.
“Labor is leaving rural communities behind and laughing about it. It’s no joke, I think it’s pretty terrifying to have a government that doesn’t care about regional Australia.”
He accused the Albanian government of taking farmers for granted and destroying their livelihoods.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mr Albanese for comment.