Jessica Borg, campaigns manager for the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) said:
“As an international animal welfare campaigner I’ve witnessed some truly distressing scenes in my time, but even I was shocked by the Animals Australia footage aired on Four Corners, showing Australian cattle being senselessly tortured and forced to endure completely unnecessary pain and fear. This is a trade that needs to end immediately.”
“Whether it’s cattle shipped to Indonesia or sheep shipped to the Middle East, we have no means of protecting our animals once we send them off shore. The only control we have is whether or not we send them.”
WSPA supports Animals Australia and the RSPCA in their call for the live cattle trade to Indonesia to be halted immediately and for the Australian Government to announce an end date for live animal exports to all other countries.
In response to these calls and the huge outpouring of public support for an end to the live trade, alongside such strong and irrefutable evidence, Minister Ludwig this morning has asked for orders to be prepared that enforce the complete suspension of live animal exports to the facilities identified by the evidence gained by Animals Australia.
“I was provided with the footage by Animals Australia less than 24 hour ago. Last night I announced the Government’s initial response to the evidence from Animals Australia and the RSCPA aired on Four Corners last night,” Minister Ludwig said.
“I have decided to halt the trade of live animals to the facilities identified by the footage.
“Further, I will appoint an independent reviewer to investigate the complete supply chain for live exports up to and including the point of slaughter.
“I reserve the right to add further facilities to the banned list, if required.”
In addition to animal welfare concerns, the meat processing industry is also shocked and concerned about the impact live export cruelty will have on our local meat processing industry’s reputation. Tom Maguire, Chairman of the Australian Meat Industry Council’s (AMIC) Animal Welfare Committee said: “The footage we’ve seen clearly damages the global image of the $15 billion dollar Australian meat industry, and the situation needs to be fixed.”
“If this live export trade is going to continue, the Australian government needs to ensure the welfare of export animals for their whole life-cycle – not just when they’re on Australian shores. Nothing less will be acceptable to our customers and the Australian public.”
Paul Crane, Export and Meat Manager at V&V Walsh’s said: “We already export locally processed lamb and beef to many parts of the world, reducing both the stress of transportation and ensuring that Australian livestock is slaughtered and processed to the highest international standards.”
“With government and industry support we can grow the infrastructure needed to make chilled and frozen meat export an even larger trade, one which is a more sustainable and a more profitable alternative to live export with bigger benefits to the rural economy. We have always believed that we should export meat not jobs.”
Last year over 1,000 meat workers lost their jobs in Australia, mainly due to live stock shortages which were exacerbated by the live export trade. Since the Four Corners program, the Australian Meat Industry Employees Union (AMIEU) Federal President Grant Courtney said: “The Australian meat processing industry provides income and stability to the rural economy, but it’s being devastated thanks in large part to competition from the live export industry.”
“Australian farmers are happy to take the risk of live exports presumably because they feel comforted that the Australian processing industry will always be here to fall back on. However if live export continues and continues to weaken the processing industry, there won’t be anything to fall back on and cattle producers will be bound to the terms and conditions of importing countries, just like we saw with the Indonesian restrictions last year.”
Grant added, “We call on the Government to face up to its responsibilities and stand up for the domestic processing industry and economy by making the live export horror show a thing of the past.”
WSPA continues to urge Australians to contact their MP via www.humanechain.org and also the Prime Minister Julia Gillard at http://www.pm.gov.au/contact-your-pm
Posts
6 :
This is the most shameful horrific story. The Cattle Producers, the Govt. Authorities responsible, the Live Export Trade stand condemned in the strongest possible terms. I didn't think I could be so ashamed of some Australians.
These producers and exporters & the Australian Govt. have known about these conditions and practices since l993 when the live export started. They have remained silent while they fattened their 'beautiful' bank accounts.
We are quite capable of exporting chilled meat to these places. There is absolutely no excuse that could be justified. The motivation has been solely the dollars to be made.
Now the Tax Payer can see what we have been subsidising all these years. By admission these creatures are 'soft and intelligent' -no living creature deserves or should be subjected to this barbaric, inhumane, horrific treatment. SHAME SHAME SHAME.
We will see where the sense of decency lies now. The facts and evidence have been revealed by extremely brave people who bought this story to us. We will now see what Govts and producers and exporters do. We will be watching.
Congratulations to everyone who was involved with bringing this horrific process to the attention of all Australians. As an ordinary Australian, I had no idea that this was happening.
What a fantastic result! I think there is still a lot of work to do to ensure that stunning is compulsory (as a minimum) or that live meat exports are halted.
I feel ashamed that I belong to the same race as thse revolting individuals identified in the slaughter houses of Indonesia.
I feel ashamed that I, as an Australian was unaware that this was happening to our livestock.
I hope that through the Four Corners story, this cause is able to gain enough momentum to cease live stock export entirely.
It's not necessary.
thank you Lyn White & Animals Australia for exposing this brutality - thank you Four Corners for airing it... this cruelty needs to be stopped immediately...
We should all be ashamed as Australians that we allow our fellow countrymen to consign these animals to a living hell. The fundamental problem here is that animals are regarded as an input to an industrial process, rather than creatures with feelings. There will always be a contradiction between the human race's aspiration to be moral and civilised and the fact that we enslave, torture and kill animals. It is the duty of every citizen who consumes animal products to be aware of how the animals used in the manufacture of those products are treated. It is also the duty of these citizens to refuse to purchase products manufactured in an inhumane manner and/or to put pressure on the manufacturers to change their practises.
Live cattle Trade Stopped!!! The tribe has spoken!!! We are the Voice for the voiceless..we have the Power!! I'm so proud of those Aussies who dared speak .... I once again believe there is a sympathetic God who works in mysterious ways ... Blessed are the meek..
Post a Comment