The Industry response from Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) regarding the horrendous cruelty our animals suffer in Indonesian abattoirs is one of denial. In a message from Don Heatley, MLA Chairman, it is suggested that MLA did not know about the level of suffering that was happening in Indonesia.
“I have been to abattoirs in Indonesia and have never seen such barbaric acts,” said Mr Heatley.
“A decade’s worth of industry and government representatives, plus independent animal welfare experts have not seen such cruelty – or something would have been done.” He continued.
He is correct in one respect, yes, the acts committed towards our animals were horrendous – but to say that “a decade’s worth of industry and government representatives, plus independent welfare experts” were unaware of the appalling conditions and acts of cruelty, is not only offensive to the intelligence of the Australian public, but it is absurd. Particularly considering that every restraint box scattered across Indonesia is clearly marked with the MLA logo, and MLA have conducted numerous visits to the region for “training” purposes, as stated in the Four Corners exposé.
Is this latest attempt to justify the live export industry a case of incompetence, turning a blind eye simply a lie?
By their own admission elsewhere, Australia’s livestock industry knew all too well as to what was happening in Indonesia. MLA were aware as early as 2000 that cattle were being inhumanely slaughtered in Indonesian abattoirs. Reports available on MLA’s website, some of which were published today in The Age, outline just some of the horrific abuses committed over the past decade. These include:
· A cow being stabbed 18 times at one abattoir in March 2010.
· Cattle regaining their feet after being felled for slaughter and ''significant animal welfare issues identified''.
· Reports of cattle smashing their heads on concrete plinths.
· Repeated examples of installed restraint boxes failing to provide a humane death.
· A culture of ''unnecessary painful action'' by inexperienced local staff trying to incapacitate cattle, to avoid personal injury, revealed in a 2005 report.
The Age also reports that in 2000, the industry identified the need to improve ''the traditional pre-slaughter and slaughter handling of imported Australian cattle in Asia and the Middle East as a priority.''
According to the Age “Meat and Livestock Australia and exporter LiveCorp were aware in 2005 of the potential backlash that such footage would provoke, with a report recommending that, as an imperative it have 'a document prepared and a simple and accurate media response in the event of an overseas or Australian media report on slaughter practices in Indonesia'.”
But back to Mr Heatley’s message. Within it he continues by saying “MLA’s inability to legislate positive animal welfare protections in our overseas livestock export markets, or control commercial supply chains in these countries, leaves us with only training and infrastructure tools to influence change.”
What does this tell us? According to MLA themselves, they are unable to control commercial supply chains in overseas countries – something animal welfare groups have known for years.
In addition, in a media release published yesterday, MLA has apparently now provided “an animal welfare solution” to the current crisis, which is as follows:
· Australia to only supply cattle to 25 accredited Indonesian processing facilities currently meeting OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health) animal welfare standards
· Animal welfare officers to be permanently stationed at accredited processing facilities to ensure processing consistently meets these standards
· Industry to rapidly increase the use of stunning
All good in theory, but not so great in reality – how does MLA propose to police such an idea of only supplying cattle to 25 accredited abattoirs? Australian cattle are sent to Indonesian livestock markets and are then on sold to individual buyers and further transported throughout Indonesia. Therefore there are no assurances that even this step would be enforced.
The same can be said for the “Animal welfare officers” who are proposed to be stationed at every accredited abattoir. And who would manage these people? MLA? Can they really be trusted anymore?
The answer is simple; we cannot rely on the live export industry to look after our animals. Live export is bad business. Australians no longer want to hear the excuses, they want it stopped.
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Heatly is a money hungry bastard, he's turned a blind eye to this atrocity so that he can keep his fat pockets full of blood money!
Don Heatly needs to made accountable for his lack of professional care.
Thousands of animals have died abusively. I want justice for Don Heatlys crime.
Maryanne Scott.
Appauling attrocities. Subsidized by us. Deceitful and an absolute betrayal. Lets see who can act out of sheer decency now and bring this savagery to an end.
If in fact there are trails of evidence that Heatly was shown what has been happening, then this becomes a crime, as the farmers paid levies for humane livestock trading - where did this money go? I think Australians have a right to know! If these incidents of cruelty were reported and ignored (and governments keep records of everything) then again I say this is a crime! Stop hiding the truth - hang you heads in shame! I ask not only to ban all livestock trade, but to put to trial the corrupt government that not only failed our farmers, but lets put to trial the ones who betrayed them.
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