The West Australian Nationals have declared war on state Agriculture Minister Alannah MacTiernan by calling for her resignation over her handling of the live sheep export crisis.
The motion in parliament on Thursday came after officials raided the Perth offices of Emanuel Exports to secure documents as part of an investigation, under state animal welfare laws, into the company's disastrous Awassi Express shipment.
The Nationals motion in parliament on Thursday followed weeks of verbal attacks by the industry on Ms MacTiernan, who is doggedly pursuing possible prosecution against Emanuel despite, she says, a lack of federal government help with export licence documents.
Liberal member for Geraldton Ian Blayney supported the Nationals, accusing the minister of seeking to destroy the industry and saying Emanuel had been treated "like a bunch of drug dealers or financial sharks".
"Frankly, it's a minister in her twilight years trying to establish a legacy for herself," Mr Blayney said.
Premier Mark McGowan said that was a nasty comment by the MP and beneath him.
The motion was effectively to interfere in a criminal investigation, Mr McGowan said.
He said he had full confidence in Ms MacTiernan and the vast majority of West Australians backed her efforts to make the industry raise animal welfare standards.
The motion was defeated 31-11.
It also emerged this week another Perth-based company, Livestock Shipping Services, is reviewing its Australian sheep export business in light of new stocking density rules and focusing on South America in the meantime.
The rules were imposed by the federal government as a result of the Awassi Express voyage to the Middle East in August, on which thousands of sheep died of heat stress.
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