WSPA was very pleased to hear of the Labor MPs who have stepped forward, signing a latter authored by Kelvin Thomson, criticising the government's decision to reinstate live cattle exports to Indonesia without completing its animal welfare inquiry.
If you live in one of the following electorates, please phone or email your MP today to thank them for speaking out against the issue, but also encourage them to take further action.
Fremantle (WA) - Melissa Parke
Corangamite (VIC) - Darren Cheeseman
Chisolm (VIC) - Anna Burke
Makin (SA) - Tony Zappia
Bendigo (VIC) - Steve Gibbons
Hinadmarsh (SA) - Steve Georganas
La Trobe (VIC) - Laura Smyth
Deakin (VIC) - Mike Symon
Friday, July 8, 2011
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Farmers dominated the 500-strong crowd with only 100 animal welfare activists in attendance.
There were plenty of placard jostling and slanging matches, but overall it was a peaceful protest from both sides.
Liberal MP Barry Haase, Member for Agricultural Region Philip Gardiner, WAFarmers president Mike Norton and MLA board member Peter Trefort all spoke at the rally.
Over the top of outbursts from opposition groups, Mr Trefort said he was impressed with the number of people at the rally.
“It was great to see so much support for the industry,” Mr Trefort said.
“We need live shipping and no matter what anybody says, it is an integral part of what we do.
“We can’t get rid of three million sheep anywhere else in a hell of a hurry and the type of cattle which come out of the north which go onto these ships are not really suitable for the domestic market.
“So live shipping is not negotiable and we need it to continue as long as we can.”
Mr Trefort said the animal welfare activists were ill-informed when it came to saving Australian jobs.
“I have heard arguments from the activists today and one of the big things is that they want to save jobs for Australians,” he said.
“I don’t know how many of them have been in abattoirs around Australia, but if it wasn’t for the Chinese we wouldn’t have an abattoir industry.
“So it’s not Australian workers that will miss out on jobs it’s the people on visas which we bring to Australia that will.
“If they say we are losing jobs just think of the 6000-10,000 jobs we will lose if we ban the export industry.”
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