Lamb with ‘scabby mouth’ – photo courtesy of http://www.liveexportshame.com
The latest revelation of the mistreatment of Australian livestock sent overseas, this time cattle and sheep for breeding, is every bit as sickening as all the other revelations in recent years.
The news of dead and dying Australian cattle and sheep in Qatar, screened on the ABC’s 7.30 Report last night, is more evidence that the Government’s animals for export safeguards are mostly theatre for public consumption. They do little to genuinely protect the many cattle, sheep and goats we ship and fly overseas each year.
How widespread the cruelty is in the export for breeding industry remains unclear. But if last night’s revelation is anything to go by, there are serious problems in this part of the live export industry and virtually no safeguards in place.
Australia’s live animal export system is fundamentally broken. Last night’s revelation came as thousands of diseased Australian sheep are being put down in Pakistan, and not long since the cruelty to Australian sheep in Kuwait was publicised. The repeated instances of cruelty to Australian cattle in Indonesia is also infamous, with further cruelty uncovered in February.
The Federal Government must move quickly to investigate this latest shocking revelation and then develop and implement comprehensive safeguards to protect Australian livestock sent overseas for breeding purposes.
Moreover the Parliament really should get behind my latest Bill which would put in place mandatory stunning and ensure that Australian livestock exported for slaughter can only be transported, yarded and slaughtered to Australian standards.
Last week on Tasmanian Times, Suzanne Cass: Just one week in the live export trade
