Today at 12 Noon, Franklin Square, Hobart
The Animal Justice Party today called for an end to the live animal export trade, confirming it stands with the almost 80% of the Australian population who recent surveys estimate oppose live export1.
AJP lead Senate candidate for Tasmania, Karen Bevis, who will be speaking at the rally, said; “There is no moral or economic argument in support of this cruel trade.”
“The past week of revelations concerning the abuse of Australian live trade animals has been shocking. This litany of cruel behaviours cannot go on.
“Industry and government statements attempt to hide the fact that the industry is miniscule, brings little by way of economic return to the country and damages the reputation of our nation.2
“Continuing revelations of animal abuse in the live animal export industry, whether it is the tens of thousands of animals that die at sea, or the often horrific cruelty in arrival countries, demonstrate that government claims that the sector is being regulated are not matched in practice. It is evident that neither of the major federal parties appears to have the have the strength of character to put an end to the live export industry.
“If the majority of Australians who oppose live trade want it stopped they need to support the AJP to gain a voice in parliament so that we can increase our strenuous efforts to stop this appalling trade.
Karen said that, in addition to banning live export, AJP policy was to establish an Independent Office of Animal Welfare. The Australian Labor Party expressed its support of this in a letter to the AJP President last week.
The ALP has also backed the AJP’s concept of financial support for increasing plant based industries in Australia. “We know there is at least $8.3 million available,” Karen Bevis said. “This is funding that the Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has just announced he wants to spend supporting Vietnam abattoirs so they can take even more live Australian animals for slaughter.
“This live export industry needs to be stopped and funds allocated to alternative industries in Australia like increased plant based industries, that employ Australian workers.
A vote for the AJP at this election is now very important in getting the message through to the major parties that the Australian publics wants live export stopped , and they want it stopped now.
1 Lonergan Research, WSPA Live Export Study Report (2012) 4-6 Quoted on Voiceless web site. The Age June 24: Opinion poll after opinion poll shows most of us want the bloody business of live animal exports stopped. It’s our political leaders who are looking the other way. Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/comment/arguments-for-live-export-trade-ring-hollow-20160331-gnuss0.html#ixzz4CSmHP6Zr
2 Live export represents just 0.4% of Australia’s total exports, while chilled meat trade is already worth 12 times more to our economy than the live trade for slaughter. In 2013. Most farmers don’t live export. Just 6% of cattle and 7% of sheep raised for slaughter in Australia last year actually went into the live export trade, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Background summary …
Animal Justice Party abhors Government cruelty actions
Australia exports over three million live animals every year. Cattle, sheep and goats are shipped long distances in distressing conditions which result in illness and death for a significant number. They are often slaughtered in countries without adequate protections against cruelty.
Most of the dreadful incidents regarding this terrible industry were not detected through the Labor or Liberal Government’s own monitoring systems. These incidents only came to light through investigations by non-government organisations. Labor and Liberal Australian government regulations are failing to prevent or detect cruelties in the live export trade.
Following years of evidence-based criticism of the cruelty of live animal exports, over recent days the need for urgent action has become even more evident.
Survey after survey tells us the Australian people want this industry to stop
For the animals themselves, this cruel live export must stop.
Revelations over the last week show the only way to prevent the live export of animals is to vote for political parties which are committed to stopping the trade. The only political party which will do this is the Animal Justice Party.
Here is the most recent history of the situation:
• Last week (June 15) saw the terrible images shown on the ABC’s 7.30 report about Vietnam abattoirs
• Soon after it was the revelation that cattle export industry representatives called for less regulation about the wellbeing of animals on the basis that these regulations allegedly limited Australia’s economic benefit
• On Wednesday June 22nd came the revelation concerning the expert veterinarian Dr Lynn Simpson being removed from her job by the Commonwealth Department of Agriculture because she revealed the cruelty of existing transport conditions for live export animals. The Commonwealth Department had allegedly received complaints from Industry about the potentially damaging impact of a report as critical as hers.
• Then on Thursday June 23 the Deputy Prime Minister announced $8.3 million dollars to Vietnamese abattoirs.
This litany of support for ending animal terror has demonstrated a number of important things.
• evidence of cruelty is not enough to make any government of the major political parties stop the trade
• revelations of the cruelty of the trade can lead to moves to remove the source of this information from employment
• the so-called economic benefit to the country is miniscule, as is the number of farmers involved, as Live export is only worth one eighth of Australia’s boxed meat exports. Most farmer income in these situations (93%) is derived from crops and wool)
The AJP has strenuously pushed for an Independent office of Animal Welfare as part of Commonwealth Government arrangements to combat the ferocity of vested interests
The AJP has developed an agreement with the ALP that establishing an Independent Office of Animal Welfare is a necessary one and one which is to be implemented if the ALP governs the country
Moreover the AJP has addressed the economic issues of alternatives to live animal exports through an agreement with the ALP to fund the development of plant based agriculture
Voters and all animal focussed organisations who are truly sick of the corruption of public process around animal wellbeing should support the AJP in its vigorous campaign to stop live animal exports
Support statements can be found at:
• https://www.voiceless.org.au/the-issues/live-export
• Backlash – Australia’s conflict of values over live Exports, 2016 – Bidda Jones
Authorised by W.Sloane, 66 Allara Street Canberra City 2600
AJP lead Senate candidate for Tasmania, Karen Bevis
