WA shearing teams seek new ways to make ends meet amid export ban concerns

In Jerramungup, Western Australia, shearing contractor Dael Parnell is finding ways to keep her team employed locally as the live sheep export industry winds down. With the ban on live sheep exports by sea set for May 2028, Parnell worries about shearers leaving the agricultural town, which would reduce the number of people available for vital volunteer roles.

"Shearers go beyond just the service of shearing sheep; they can be huge backbones of communities like mine," Parnell said. "For me, we employ anywhere between 10 to 20 workers at a time. They make their money in the area, and they spend it in town."

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Shearers go beyond just the service of shearing sheep; they can be huge backbones of communities like mine. For me, we employ anywhere between 10 to 20 workers at a time. They make their money in the area, and they spend it in town.

Parnell coaches the local junior netball team and highlights how shearers contribute significantly to community life beyond their primary work. The decline in the sheep flock in Western Australia and the impending export ban create uncertainty for the industry and the communities that rely on it.

To address these challenges, the federal government has committed $140 million to help the industry adapt. The "Beyond the Shed" program, funded with over $2 million from this commitment, is designed by the WA Shearing Industry Association. It aims to provide alternative employment pathways for skilled shearers and shed hands, preventing them from having to move away in search of work. The program offers training in areas with identified skill gaps, such as seeding work.

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I coach the 'Net,Set,Go' kids, from 6 to 9 years old, I teach them how to play netball right from the beginning.