Anthony Albanese digs in behind cattle trade without apologising for joke, takes swipe at Premier Roger Cook
![Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.](https://images.thewest.com.au/publication/C-15800509/10150a3ab36f1dead3938dae2cc27cae89bf9c59-16x9-x0y439w7202h4051.jpg?imwidth=810&impolicy=wan_v3)
Anthony Albanese refuses to apologise for a controversial comment about live exports that left farmers fuming, instead claiming he was backing in the Australian beef industry in all its forms.
WA Premier Roger Cook said multiple times on Thursday the Prime Minister should apologise for the unscripted comment he made during a speech to a rural women’s awards night in Canberra this week.
Mr Albanese told the event that it was his second dinner of the night after he had eaten with Indonesian president-elect Prabowo Subianto, saying they had served “beautiful Australian beef — not the live export, we made sure it was dead”.
The comment fell flat with farmers who are at odds with the Federal Government after it legislated to ban live sheep exports, disproportionately hitting the WA agricultural sector.
The Nationals widely condemned the comments, with leader David Littleproud saying they mocked the industry and showed Mr Albanese was “completely out of touch” with the sector.
Mr Albanese hit back on Friday when asked about Mr Cook’s demands for an apology.
“The WA Premier wasn’t there, with respect,” he told reporters in Townsville.
“I stand by the comments that I support both the beef trade in terms of packed meat and also live cattle.
“I support it and I stand by the fact that I proudly served it to the president-elect of Indonesia … Prabowo, an important visitor to Australia.”
He accused Mr Littleproud of “a cheap point” and trying to make an issue “out of nothing” before turning his attack on Opposition Leader Peter Dutton for not attending the dinner while saying he was the first PM ever to join the awards function.
“Live cattle trade is an industry which Peter Dutton and David Littleproud were calling to be shut off temporarily from Indonesia due to foot and mouth disease,” Mr Albanese said.
“I worked very closely with President (Joko) Widodo to make sure, along with (then agriculture minister) Murray Watt, the work that we did to make sure that the industry wasn’t paused or shut down.”
Amid the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Indonesia in 2022, Mr Littleproud was highly critical of the Government’s response, calling for compulsory disinfectant foot baths and special screening for travellers coming from the country.
Mr Dutton went further at the time, saying the Government should shut the border with Indonesia, a move that would have stopped cattle exports leaving Australia as well as prevented people returning from Indonesia.
Mr Littleproud said on Friday the spat wasn’t about him or the Prime Minister, it was about the people who were offended and hurt by the remarks.
“The Prime Minister should show leadership and apologise, that’s what leadership is,” he said.
“Labor’s banning of the live sheep export industry will also destroy 3000 livelihoods. It has been devastating for farmers and the industry.”
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