End cruelty by stopping live cattle exports

WITH frozen boxed beef processed in Townsville by JBS now being shipped from the Port of Townsville (TB 30/06/20), it makes no sense to have areas around the port stinking of cattle excrement as ships load cattle to be killed offshore. Local processing would reduce the cruelty, provide jobs and make our city centre more liveable.

JBS Townsville is reported to process around 145,000 cattle per year, support 508 full time equivalent jobs and contribute over $600 million to the local economy.

Last year of the 364,046 cattle exported from our port, 157,509 were slaughter cattle of which 147,892 went to Vietnam, a country described by the RSPCA as the most dangerous export destination for cattle. So far this year 31 ships loaded with slaughter cattle have left Townsville for Vietnam. How can it be OK to send animals offshore to be killed in countries with lower animal welfare standards than Australia?

If cattle are to be killed for human consumption in a country where people in major cities have access to electricity and refrigeration, why not process the animals here in Townsville for export as boxed beef?

JENNY BROWN, Douglas.