‘Busted: Government in damage control over latest animal outrage’

The Federal Government is treating us like mugs to claim it was already concerned about the deaths of more than two thousand sheep on a ship bound for the Middle East last August.

More likely it was fear of Animals Australia releasing shocking footage of the conditions on the vessel that panicked the Government to appear concerned and take action.

We’ve known for years that conditions on live animal exports ships are beyond dreadful.

And we’ve known for years that the worst offenders are the sheep ships travelling to the Middle East, on which animal fatalities are often way beyond government standards and records are routinely falsified.

The fact is the live export trade is systemically cruel, lacks popular support and is not in Australia’s economic self-interest.

Not that you’d know given the way a series of federal governments have kowtowed to their mates in the industry.

Frankly if any of them had any decency they’d hang their heads in shame and shut the vile trade down immediately and permanently.

Authorised by Andrew Wilkie MP 188 Collins St Hobart