When will brand kindness extend to animals?

‘But, once again, to reassure the House, as awful as that incident was in terms of perceptions of animal welfare, they did not die in transit.’’ This message delivered to Parliament on behalf of Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor says it all. Once live animals arrive at their destination after being exported, we seemingly wash our hands of them.

The previous Labour government banned the live export of animals for slaughter in 2003, but export for breeding purposes still continues.

The current Labour-led Government claims to be one that has kindness as a core value, yet failed to act when the minister responsible was alerted to severe animal suffering.

In January this year, both the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and O’Connor were contacted by animal charity SAFE, with alarming information regarding the welfare of New Zealand and Australian cows which had been shipped to Sri Lanka. This information was investigated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the published story is being described as an ‘‘unmitigated disaster from a human and animal welfare perspective’’.

The minister has since announced a review of all proposed upcoming live shipments, to ensure animal welfare obligations are met. But why is he only acting now, three months after being told of the animals’ suffering overseas? And why is he only reviewing current animal welfare obligations, which end 30 days after the animals land in their destination country?

O’Connor is a farmer; he was a rodeo cowboy; he is also responsible for the agriculture portfolio working with MPI. On MPI’s website, its primary objective is stated as to ‘‘seize export opportunities for our primary industries’’. It’s therefore clear that MPI and O’Connor’s priorities include working with live export corporations, putting animal welfare concerns out of sight; out of mind.

How do the minister’s actions fit with the Government’s stated kindness brand?

Since coming into office, the Labour Party has not delivered on any of its preelection promises in relation to animals, despite the fact that many of those policies were shared by its coalition partners.

The Government briefly appointed Meka Whaitiri as the minister responsible for animal welfare and she was critical of both live export and rodeo.

Since her demotion, the Government has continued to allow the minister responsible for promoting agriculture to also be the one responsible for animal welfare.

It’s like leaving the fox in charge of the hen house.

Under this Government in 2017 and 2018, 21,525 live cattle have been exported. Already this year 3465 live cattle have been exported, and another two live exports have yet to report their totals. This is a large number of our animals being sent to countries with lower animal welfare and slaughter standards.

This undermines our law and undermines brand kindness.

The European Union’s MPs recently voted, by an overwhelming majority, to a wealth of changes to current live export regulations. The biggest change is that the EU will refuse live export to non-EU countries that do not meet the EU’s own animal welfare standards.

Serious questions remain. Will this Government’s kindness extend to animals? Will they follow the EU’s lead and ensure that no farmed animals leave New Zealand’s shores unless their animal welfare is assured to meet New Zealand’s standards? It’s time for minister Damien O’Connor to provide answers.

Brand kindness is under threat. Let’s start with an end to live exports.