The Independent Member for Denison, Andrew Wilkie, said Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s comments in Indonesia about the Australian live animal export trade are bizarre.
“The Prime Minister’s reported comments in Indonesia that he “rejects any notion that Indonesian [abattoir] standards are lower than Australia’s” is bizarre. The remark suggests Mr Abbott doesn’t understand animal welfare, or does and is prepared to put animal cruelty second to the Australia-Indonesia bilateral relationship,” Mr Wilkie said.
“The fact is that most Indonesian abattoirs are barbaric charnel houses.
“There would now appear to be a very real risk that the new Australian Government will roll back the minimalist supply chain reform of its predecessor. This would be a disaster for animal welfare, entirely at odds with Australia’s economic self-interest and a shocking betrayal of majority public opinion.
“Instead of promoting the live export trade, Australia should be increasing Indonesian red meat self-sufficiency and providing adequate safeguards in the interim, and in particular mandatory stunning.
“I call on the Prime Minister to reconsider his position on live exports for the sake of Australian livestock and all those Australians who fight for them.”
• Guardian: Indonesia lifts quota for Australian live cattle but welfare concerns remain
• Suzanne Cass, in Comments: If Andrew Wilkie were the Prime Minister, we would see integrity, compassion, principle and character brought to the Office. Abbott’s comments in his usual stuttering, grovelling style, were grossly offensive to hundreds of thousands of decent, hardworking Australians who stand for those attributes, and are still grieving for the animals we keep seeing turtured so egregiously. Almost every country to which Australia sends these pitiful shiploads has been exposed, grievously abusing our animals, and the others just haven’t been caught yet. I sent a FOI request to DAFF seeking the footage from the Vietnam complaint, which was met with a demand for over $3,100 to progress it. The investigation will take 6-8 months. An earlier FOI over the Bahrain Pakistan atrocity, for which I paid a deposit, will take 18 months, because the exporter can object to the release of the material. The matter then goes to the Office of the Information Commissioner which is 18 months behind in its work (wish I could get away with being so derelict in my duty at work!).
Sue DeNim
September 30, 2013 at 18:34
Well said Mr Wilkie, but not strong enough by half.
I was sickened to see this sycophantic git grovelling to the Indonesians and apologising for the disruption to live export trade on the basis of (in his words) ‘a TV show’.
Has he forgotten that the footage shown on this ‘TV show’ sparked a major uproar Australia wide and this is what led to the temporary stay.
The flagrant arrogance and pig-ignorance of this man infuriates me and leads me to thoughts of aggressive actions I don’t often entertain.
I have never wanted the next three years to go more quickly.
john hayward
October 1, 2013 at 13:31
Has anyone else been struck by the complete absence in Abbott of any expressions of empathy for the suffering or misfortune of anyone outside his own circle?
Not even token recognition of the plights of animals, refugees, the domestic poor, women, abused Catholic School children, et al.
We’ve all read about the prevalence of psychopaths in political cultures. Now we have an illustration, stripped of camouflage.
John Hayward
TV Resident
October 1, 2013 at 13:47
Wouldn’t it be great if there were more like Andrew Wilkie in control of our country??? The depth that Abbott and his cronies will lower themselves in their lust for money, and they don’t give a damn how they get it, is not just disappointing but disgusting. If ever there was a ‘brown nose’ in our parliament, he has to be it, the way he spouts off in Australia all his tough stance on so many things and then he goes to Indonesia and literally lowers himself to grovel and ‘soft talk’. His stance on the cruelty to Australian animals disturbs me greatly. What does he teach his kids and grandkids? Does he teach them that cruelty, mutilating and maiming of animals is totally acceptable providing you are being paid handsomely for it????Abbott is a bloody cruel bastard on ALL levels!!!!!!
Stephen
October 1, 2013 at 17:46
I grew up on a cattle grazing property in NSW and I have seen livestock slaughtered in a NSW abattoir. I have also “put down†animals as large as a cow and a horse and killed numerous rabbits etc. The footage shown from Indonesia of a beast trembling as he watched another steer being brutally killed and cut up was absolutely disgusting. If the Indonesians cannot be trusted to treat livestock imported from Australia, and they are not prepared to import packaged meat from Australia instead of live cattle, then the live export trade is abhorrent and should cease completely. What will this arrogant, heartless and ignorant fool do to our country?
Suzanne Cass
October 2, 2013 at 17:10
If Andrew Wilkie were the Prime Minister, we would see integrity, compassion, principle and character brought to the Office.
Abbott’s comments in his usual stuttering, grovelling style, were grossly offensive to hundreds of thousands of decent, hardworking Australians who stand for those attributes, and are still grieving for the animals we keep seeing turtured so egregiously. Almost every country to which Australia sends these pitiful shiploads has been exposed, grievously abusing our animals, and the others just haven’t been caught yet.
I sent a FOI request to DAFF seeking the footage from the Vietnam complaint, which was met with a demand for over $3,100 to progress it. The investigation will take 6-8 months. An earlier FOI over the Bahrain Pakistan atrocity, for which I paid a deposit, will take 18 months, because the exporter can object to the release of the material.
The matter then goes to the Office of the Information Commissioner which is 18 months behind in its work (wish I could get away with being so derelict in my duty at work!).
There have been multiple complaints about the same systemic cruelty in Indonesia SINCE the Four Corners broadczst. Where DAFF HAS found any fauly, the exporters are asked nicely not to let it happen (i.e. not to get caught) – no more, no less. Slaps on the wrist with wet lettuce leaves.
There was NO penalty applied over the brutal massacre of 21,000 sheep in Pakistan because it was ‘out of the exporter’s control’. ESCAS was ABOUT control of the ‘supply chain’. DAFF is absolutely complicit in this disgraceful, shameful abuse, and now it will just get so much worse as Abbott and Joyce (and Bishop) work to dismantle ESCAS, even as poor as it is. They want to make it ‘more xporter friendly’. How could it be?
sylvia raye
October 2, 2013 at 17:37
Abbott is a disgrace and Bishop is devoid of any emotion. I am ashamed to call myself an Australian and it is because of them. These people have no compassion and no empathy. Very scary when you think they are running the country.
davanjac
October 2, 2013 at 18:10
If other countries want to buy our beef let them buy it on our terms and conditions. The cruelty to the live shipment of our beef is abhorrent. I have never seen such filth and so many distressed and terrified animals. Mr. Abbott and his crew need to wake up to themselves, we are Australians and we do not treat our animals like this. Regardless of their religion and customs, open the abattoirs, employ Australians and do the right thing and stop bowing and scraping to other countries. Where is your pride?
Gillian Dent
October 2, 2013 at 19:56
With Abbott at the helm animals and people who care about them are in serious trouble. Thank god for Andrew Wilkie, a lone voice but one so desperately needed. The lack of compassion and empathy for our most vulnerable of beings by those in power in this country leaves most caring people speechless. So does the sight of Abbott grovelling to the Indonesian government.
TV Resident
October 2, 2013 at 21:58
I have just read on the ABC site that Barnaby Joyce has changed his stance on foreign ownership of land in Australia after speaking with cattle station owners in the NT. They have convinced him to agree that it will help boost the live cattle trade. I wonder how many people would have preferenced him, in the election, based on his then stance of curbing foreign ownership. The way I see it the pollies, other than Wilkie, are all two faced, greedy, cruel and heartless bastards. It worries me what their kids and grandkids will make of it all. Probably the underlying message, IMO, is that cruelty pays and pays. Compassion doesn’t appear to exist in their vocabulary when
it comes to animals.
Griff Connolly
October 2, 2013 at 22:25
Absolutely disgusted and dumbfounded by Abbott’s behaviour in Indonesia. How dare he apologise for the suspension of the live animal export trade last year. I apologise to those poor animals for what humans inflict on them. This despicable trade should be closed down forever. Animals give us so much, they should never be treated like this. His lack of compassion is astounding. He misjudges the feeling of all caring Australians on this issue. He proclaims to be such a Christian and attends church, St Francis would be completely ashamed of him. I’d like to send Abbott off on a ship of shame that’s for sure.
Ms MoneyPenny
October 3, 2013 at 00:15
This isn’t just about Abbott grovelling to Indonesia. This demonstrates the power of live export industry lobbyists and political donations. The horror, outrage and protest of ordinary Australians is no match for the political buying power of that abhorrent industry. Another perfect example of our crony capitalist system at work.
Sonia Fluke
October 3, 2013 at 00:20
There is no question that live export is cruel, archaic and unnecessary. The Australian people have shown a very loud and clear objection to the continuation of this trade with petitions and rallies and a constant expression of disgust at this spineless prime minister’s ignorance. The only people who support live export are those who profit by it – and it is this handful of people to whom our prime minister panders. We, the people have had enough and we WILL see an end to this despicable trade. Like the slave traders of old, their actions will be looked back on with horror and disbelief.
Suzanne Cass
October 3, 2013 at 02:56
The suggestion that slaughterhouses in any of these foreign hellholes, including Indonesia, even approach Australian standards is an outright lie to the Australian people and Abbott knows it. He should resign and apologise. If animals were handled and killed in Australia like they are in these places there would be riots in the streets. The man is an absolute disgrace, as a human being and a self-proclaimed Christian. The same goes for Julie Bishop and Barnaby Joyce. Live exports account for just 0.3% of Australia’s exports. How is it that this noisy, disgusting minority has so much power?
Peter Bright
October 3, 2013 at 12:57
Sue DeNim at #1 deplores the grovelling of a “sycophantic git” and also his arrogance and ignorance, and tells us she can hardly wait for the next three years of his official tenure to pass.
Well Sue, here’s an easy prediction from me ..
.. you won’t have to wait three years.
Suzanne Cass
October 4, 2013 at 22:48
I see that Colin Bettles has slammed Andrew for his comments.
http://www.theland.com.au/news/agriculture/livestock/cattle-beef/exporters-slam-wilkie/2673495.aspx
It shows that they’re under pressure, when Penfold plays the indigenous card. Apparently, Abbott visited just one slaughterhouse last year, and you can bet it was a well-scheduled visit, it was a ‘compliant’ slaughterhouse and it was made squeaky clean.
Abbott did NOT apologise for the vast majority of decent, hardworking Australians who despise this trade and everyone who is part of it or supports it. Now Indonesia is buying large tracts of Australia to raise their own cattle. They’ll bring in all their own workers on 457 visas, undercut all the Australian ‘producers’ currently shreiking Abbott’s praises, and they will be driven to the wall.
But don’t have any sympathy for them – they have none for the animals, or for the 40,000 meat workers who lost their jobs once they started putting the hapless animals on ships. Once they’ve sold the animals, you see, Australia has no obligation, moral or otherwise, to protect them from the shocking abuse we have seen so many times.
Andrew, know that we are all with you.