Australian Government response to day of action against live exports

Anyone who watched the footage aired on the ABC’s Four Corners program on 30 May 2011 would have been shocked by the treatment of the animals it showed.

The Gillard Government has acted to safeguard animal welfare in our live cattle export trade with Indonesia.

We have placed strict safeguards on the treatment of Australian cattle overseas and residents can be assured that Australian cattle are now being treated appropriately and humanely.

From now on, exporters of live cattle to Indonesia must meet strict new conditions. If companies can’t comply with these standards they will not be allowed to export cattle.

To be allowed to send live cattle to Indonesia a company must:

· track and trace all cattle from Australia right through to Indonesia;

· have their tracking systems independently audited to show they meet international standards on animal welfare;

· make the results of the audits publicly available.

The Government’s policy on live exports is clear.

We support Australian jobs in the cattle export industry, and we support strict safeguards for animal welfare.

We reject the Opposition calls for an immediate resumption of trade with no new animal welfare standards in place. Such an approach would not have allowed the industry to have a sustainable future, nor would it have safeguarded animal welfare outcomes.

The safeguards this Government has put in place mean Australian animals are processed in a system with international animal welfare safeguards.
Senator Catryna Bilyk Labor Senator for Tasmania