Call for live export ban
OPPOSITION Leader Bill Shorten is demanding the immediate suspension of live sheep exports, saying his “patience is running very thin” with the troubled industry.
Mr Shorten says the live export industry has failed to “clean up its act” after receiving “plenty of chances”.
Horrific vision emerged this month of a voyage to the Mid- dle East on which 2400 sheep died in sweltering and filthy conditions.
“I felt sick to the stomach when I saw the vision. Only a monster would think it’s fine for this to continue without any change,” Mr Shorten said.
Denison MP Andrew Wilkie, who has moved four unsupported Bills that would ban the trade since 2011, said it was time to shut down all live animal exports.
“I have no doubt that there are many others in the Parliament who are horrified that the trade continues, and I hope that more and more of them will speak up in coming days,” he said.
“There can be no doubt that the live export trade is systemically cruel and not in Australia’s economic self-interest, and it’s time the Government started listening to the community and members of their own party and shut it down.”
The Government has launched an urgent review into live sheep exports to the northern hemisphere, which Mr Shorten said was “unlikely to conclude the northern summer trade is sustainable”.
“We will honour our commitment to await its findings,” he said.
“Until that happens, northern summer shipments of sheep not already beyond the farm gate should be suspended.”
Former Turnbull Government minister Sussan Ley, who used to be a farmer, is planning to introduce a private members’ Bill to phase out live exports to the Middle East. She has been backed by Labor backbencher Josh Wilson and Liberal MP Jason Wood.
Stop Tasmanian Animal Cruelty director Suzanne Cass led an animal welfare rally on Parliament Lawns on Saturday to protest against live trade.
“They’re sea sick, battling to get to feed and water troughs, drowning in their own excre- ment and dropping in the hundreds from heat exhaustion,” she said.
“The Tasmanian Government should be intervening and saying that the Tasmanian community has shouted loudly that they want the trade banned.”
Acting Prime Minister Michael McCormack rejected the push for the trade to end, saying it would cost jobs and open the market for nations with less responsible animal welfare practices.