Animal rights advocates have held a snap protest outside the Lawson office of Federal Member for Macquarie Susan Templeman.
The February 17 protest was part of a week of action by the NSW Animal Justice Party against live animal exports.
Displaying posters calling for a ban on the live export industry and to "Stop the Cruelty", the group noted that "our community condemns the appalling failure of Labor to keep to its election promise to end this trade".
"Animals are suffering for the sake of profit and Labor seems to be taking people's votes for granted," a group spokesperson said.
After the protest a letter calling on the federal government to commit to an end date for the live animal trade was hand-delivered to Ms Templeman.
"We ask you to be a loud voice on this issue, and to reflect your community's expectations of Labor in government to prioritise ethics over profit," the letter states.
Ms Templeman told the Gazette the government was committed to phasing out live sheep exports but this had to be done in a "considered and orderly way".
"There is certainly a strong message coming from the Macquarie community that people care deeply about the important issue of animal welfare," she said. "The government is committed to phasing out the trade of live sheep exports by sea and took this policy to the last two elections.
"While there is a strong community interest in ending live exports as quickly as possible, we also can't ignore the impact on farmers, exporters, local communities, and other supply chain participants. Which is why the government is focused on implementing this policy in a considered and orderly way."
Ms Templeman said she appreciated the "ongoing advocacy" of the activists.
