Cattle export protesters fail to show

Abuse of cattle in an Indonesian abbatoir has prompted Australia to ban all live exports of cattle to that country. Photo / Supplied

Protests against live cattle exports have fizzled in Queensland with event organisers blaming "political sabotage" for the poor turnout.

Independent candidate for Ipswich Patricia Petersen says hundreds of meat workers and animal activists were expected at the protests in Ipswich and Brisbane on Saturday.

But only some 15 people came to the Ipswich protest and about a dozen turned up in Brisbane.

Ms Petersen said she believes the event was deliberately sabotaged by political groups after dates and times on the event's Facebook page were apparently changed.

Dr Petersen, who is an economics university lecturer, said about 15 people turned up to parliament house in Brisbane on Friday night ready to protest, only to learn later they'd been misinformed about the time.

She said the Facebook site advertising the event originally had the correct details but she believes it has been hacked into.

"When we try to share the event (through Facebook), the date and time automatically changes," Dr Petersen told AAP.

She said she didn't believe cattle producers were to blame.

"I believe it has been hacked into and I don't believe it's the cattle producers.

"I believe it's political sabotage.

"I have also been told by some (protesters) that they received calls telling them the protests have been cancelled."

She said she will refer the matter to the police.

The protests were part of the second national day of action against live exports.

- AAP