A Press Conference was held for the media and an evening public forum was opened up to citizens concerned about the trade.
The morning’s press conference held outside Fremantle Town Hall, which was wrapped in a giant red Humane Chain. Press conference speakers included
• Jessica Borg, WSPA Campaign Manager
• Melissa Parke, Fremantle Federal MP
• Brad Pettitt, Fremantle Mayor
• Lyn MacLaren, WA Sate MP
• Peter Tinley, WA State MP
• Grant Courtney, AMIEU President
• Paul Crane of V&V Walsh’s meat processing plant
The speakers highlighted the economic benefits to ending the trade, noting the jobs lost due to live exports. WSPA's Jessica Borg spoke of the harsh conditions sheep face at sea and highlighted the Galaxy opinion poll which, as we previously reported, found that an overwhelming 79% of Australians believe live sheep exports are cruel, while 86% agree that the Government should phase out live sheep exports if there’s an alternative that saves Australian jobs.
In the evening a public forum was held inside Fremantle Town Hall where the morning’s speakers were joined also by Jodie Jankevics, Campaign Manager for Stop Live Exports
A video was shown, demonstrating the groundswell of support to end live exports from stakeholders concerned with both animal welfare issues and job losses incurred by the trade. Nearly 250 Australians attended the event and at the close, participated in a public action by each holding up a red paper chain link to form a Humane Chain throughout Town Hall, to demonstrate their support in ending the live export trade, and to symbolise the 83,600 Australians who have already joined the Humane Chain.
If you attended the public forum in Fremantle, we'd love to hear your impressions. If you were unable to attend, we've compiled a video of highlights from the various speakers throughout the day, which you can watch here:
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THE Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council (ALEC) has today called for industry unity and demanded the Australian Meat Industry Employees’ Union (AMIEU) stop its misinformation campaign against the livestock export industry.
ALEC chief executive officer Lach MacKinnon said the AMIEU blamed the current sheep shortage on live exports without "looking at the facts".
“The AMIEU claims that 400,000 sheep transported from Tasmania went to the live export trade in 2009. Wrong. The 400,000 sheep were transported interstate as part of regular trading, the overwhelming majority of these sheep were processed in Victoria," Mr MacKinnon said.re
The politicians on the panel voiced their opposition to the live export trade, which is a direct contrast to the view of Federal Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig who recently declared his support for the industry and announced four new projects aimed at improving animal welfare outcomes in countries receiving Australian livestock.
Liberal Senator Chris Back, a qualified veterinarian who used to work in the live export industry, requested to be part of the panel, but was told by organisers that it was already full.
At the forum, Mr Back questioned the balance of the panel and the response he got was that they were not concerned with balance as that was not the purpose of the forum.
Mr Back said the live sheep and cattle trade was an integral component of the nation's livestock industries and contributed significantly to the provision of foodstuffs in the Asian and Middle East regions.
He said the fact he was actively engaged as a veterinarian in the trade and did many trips to the Gulf, gave him confidence in supporting the industry.
"I have one advantage over those who criticise so stridently," Mr Back said.
"I have experience in this field and know what I am talking about."
Australia’s livestock export industry has welcomed the Federal Government’s commitment of $550,000 to fund further improvements for Australian livestock in key export markets across south east Asia, the Middle East and North Africa in 2010-11.
The funding announced by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, the Hon. Joe Ludwig, will build on the investment made each year as part of the Live Trade Animal Welfare Partnership, which is funded through co-contributions from the Federal Government and livestock producers and exporters.
Anonymous do you work for MLA? Or is it Livecorp?
Reply to Yusuf.
No I do not work for the MLA or any live export organisation.
Very simple, I just do not like animal liberationists.
To me most are bigoted vegans, who ignore the truth and oppose any animal agriculture.
LIve Export should be tightly controlled NOT baned.
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