After three years in the top job, the outgoing president of the Northern Territory Cattlemen's Association, David Connolly, has given his final speech at the NTCA's 2024 Conference in Alice Springs.
In his speech Mr Connolly said he wanted to address the "many things" that affect the industry, including the "rights of the pastoralist, the cattlemen and women, the mums and dads and families that populate our stations, our homes, our businesses, to protect our animals, and our way of life".
Mr Connolly, well known for fearlessly speaking his mind publicly, instantly took aim at the government.
"The pastoral industry in the NT has an investment of many billions of dollars, our industry generates over $750 million directly and more than $1 billion dollars indirectly to the NT economy," he said.
"This is a huge business. One in which clear-thinking people may believe that governments - both state and federal - may want to engage with. A business where all governments would want to sit down and listen to the collective wisdom of the 150-year-old pastoral industry and act on their concerns."
But Mr Connolly said while the NTCA has "always had a respected voice", times had changed.
"On our most important issues our business with Canberra is getting increasingly difficult," he said.
"The voting public wants a federal government to listen and act. We certainly have politicians that engage, who don't listen. We have politicians that engage, listen and don't act. We even have those that act without engaging and listening.
"The government cannot be some wild dictatorial organisation that gets to tell hard-working Australians what they can and will do with their lives.
"We cannot stomach nor allow the vast bureaucracies to run industry like some plaything for the elite. They don't get to shut a trade down due to their sensibilities being hurt, or because some activist is triggered and feels 'offended'."
Mr Connolly said the days "of government overreach" had to come to an end.
"It's time to change this idea that the government can oppress industry on a whim," he said.
"I have found our industry is not alone, the resources, energy, fishing, transportation, manufacturing, banking, mining, retail and countless other industries feel the same. It appears that if you are sitting in your lounge room in your pyjamas, working from home for one of the vast federal government bureaucracies, then yours is the only view that counts."
The former NTCA president said the cattle industry was "being disrespected, unappreciated, and seen as unimportant by this current federal government".
"This federal government doesn't like farmers. How do we have patience for people that live off the product of our land, but clearly can't stand the people who live on it.
"The hypocrisy is tangible. Farmers are individuals, they do not follow in the footsteps of the government. This government prefers that people rely on them for everything and distrust those who refuse to. Clear, independent, commonsense-thinking is a worry to this government that appears to be run by militant unions and green activists that continually panders to the left and is deeply embedded in identity politics."
Pastoralists have long been fighting for compensation after the government's snap decision to ban live cattle export in 2011, but a settlement is yet to be reached.
Mr Connolly said the government's response to the live export class action was showing "ongoing disrespect paid to us and our industry" and to those who were "genuinely trying to give the industry and those who suffered unimaginable loss, the closure they deserve".
After losing the live cattle class action and being ordered by the court to pay the claimants, the federal Labor government in 2023 offered $215 million clear of costs and clear of interest to settle the claim.
"There are 215 claimants in this class and by the time the costs are taken out and the interest paid the remainder wouldn't buy a cup of tea and corn meat sandwiches for the stock camp," Mr Connolly said.
"Our industry looks for support not sabotage, help not hindrance, respect not restriction.
"This offer was a slap in the face, a disrespectful waving of the government's hand to us to go away."
"The real cost of this action is arguably in excess of $1.2 billion," he said.
Yet, industry lawyers heard in January this year that the offer had not been accepted.
Mr Connolly said the government had given the industry no reason for the rejection of the counteroffer.
"No reason given, no dialogue, no discussion.
"What disrespect. The disrespect paid to our industry by this government is reprehensible.
"This whole sad and tragic episode is politically motivated, this federal Labor government does not think enough of this industry ... to even explain itself.
"These are the actions of a government hell-bent on punishing the rural sector, maybe punishing those who didn't vote for them, will not vote for them. Punishing those who don't believe the lies of this government and refuse to surrender to their cruel actions both past and present."
"The actions of this government on this issue are about power and about votes. It is a sordid, grubby little business.
"I am in a position to continue the fight for the rights of the people caught up in this monstrous incompetence perpetrated by the Labor government in 2011."
Mr Connolly directly took aim at Agriculture Minister Murray Watt, who he had expected "to stick up for the industry he represents".
"But he has not, he has joined the dark side. I told him that if you lay down with these dogs you will arise with their fleas.
"If the government expects us to wither and cave in, then guess again. Our resolve has never been firmer, we are not frightened, and we are not weakened, but we are angry."
The respected cattleman said while the people on the land were "resilient, hardened and forged by climate and conditions" , the fight for compensation for the live export ban had been going on for "too long" and needed to be "brought to an end".
"But it's still not done, and I'm bloody angry about it. Government lawyers (have) asked for a further nine month delay.
"Too many of our friends have gone to their graves waiting for this compensation. This is money that was stolen from our industry, from our businesses and from our families.
"This is not a reward for being right. It's justice for being wronged."
Mr Connolly said despite "the harm" the government was inflicting, the industry was "up for this fight" and would continue to fight to get "the justice the court has ordered".
He said the phasing out of the live sheep export trade was also "an example of extreme prejudice by a government on one section of an industry".
"This is once again an entirely unnecessary measure designed only to placate the sensibilities of inner-city elites in Sydney and Melbourne.
"The expected ban on the live sheep trade is a disgraceful action brought about by a government who are the same people that caused the grief in 2011. The decision is not based on science or even economics.
"This disgraceful decision is based on a back room promise to the activist organisations that this government panders to, but, just like environmental activism is not so much about protecting the environment, animal activism is not really about protecting animals - it's about promoting an agenda that appeals to voters in the inner-city Federal electorates."
The outgoing NTCA president called on the government to "engage, listen and act" and furthermore to "build a sense of trust, integrity, honesty and commitment to the Australian people".
Annie Hesse
I am an award-winning media and communications professional with experience across print, digital, social and radio broadcast, as well as photography and videography. I am the NT Correspondent at Australian Community Media and I write for my hometown newspaper, the Katherine Times. I love telling people's stories, and I am passionate about giving those a voice who may otherwise remain unheard. When I am not busy putting pen to paper, I spend time in my garden, go bushwalking or travel across the Northern Territory, Australia or the world. In my spare time I write, illustrate and publish books.
I am an award-winning media and communications professional with experience across print, digital, social and radio broadcast, as well as photography and videography. I am the NT Correspondent at Australian Community Media and I write for my hometown newspaper, the Katherine Times. I love telling people's stories, and I am passionate about giving those a voice who may otherwise remain unheard. When I am not busy putting pen to paper, I spend time in my garden, go bushwalking or travel across the Northern Territory, Australia or the world. In my spare time I write, illustrate and publish books.
