Live export myths busted

It is becoming increasingly difficult for those who support the live cattle export trade from our city to rely on old myths to justify treating living animals as cargo.

When 171,146 of the 268,481 cattle shipped from Townsville in 2020 were slaughter cattle, it is hard to claim that the cattle being exported are not suitable for processing at our local export meatworks.

When electrical appliances manufactured in Vietnam are on sale in local stores, the myth that people in importing countries do not have electricity or fridges loses credibility.

Then there is the myth that people in importing countries demand halal meat. Not very convincing when in Vietnam, the main destination for cattle exported from Townsville last year, Muslims are a small minority of the population.

In any case, all of Australia’s export abattoirs are halal certified and all practise preslaughter stunning.

Another myth is that wages and conditions in Australian meatworks make them uncompetitive. As the AMIEU has pointed out: “The alternative – live export – takes Australian livestock offshore for processing in unregulated labour markets where animal welfare, wages, workers’ rights and occupational health and safety are low priorities for many of those abattoirs.”

It is time to end this cruel and unnecessary trade.