The Independent Member for Denison, Andrew Wilkie, has discussed the outrageous decision by the Government to postpone debate on a bill to improve animal welfare standards in the live export trade, at the very time another revelation has emerged of cruelty to Australian livestock.
“Today the Government shut down debate on a bill that would go some small way to improve standards in the live animal export industry,” Mr Wilkie said. “This was alarming in itself, but all the more shocking in light of the revelation in the last 24 hours of yet more cruelty, this time to Australian cattle shipped to Israel.”
“Quite simply the Federal Government doesn’t care one iota about animal welfare, and its claims to the contrary are bold-faced lies. Nor does it care about the way the live animal export industry has cannibalised the Australian processed red meat industry, costing thousands of jobs. All it cares about are its mates in the live trade.
“It’s an undeniable fact that the live animal export industry is systemically cruel, not in Australia’s economic self-interest and is deeply unpopular in the Australian community.
“Today’s developments are just the latest chapter in the big fat book of animal abuse that’s been written in Canberra over many years.
Authorised by Andrew Wilkie MP 188 Collins St Hobart
Independent Member for Denison, Andrew Wilkie
