Should the live sheep and cattle export trade, with its unstable economic basis, high levels of risk and animal welfare problems, continue?

There has been much faith put in the Labor government’s much touted Export Supply Chain Assurance scheme (Joel Fitzgibbon MP, letter 5 November).  Unfortunately ESCAS cannot prevent animal cruelty.  The scheme is not capable of controlling the supply chain or the conduct of importers.  Reports of animal cruelty are a regular occurrence and history shows further breaches will continue to be uncovered.

According to Mr Fitzgibbon, ‘heavy sanctions and penalties can be applied for breaches of ESCAS.  They range from the suspension of an export licence, the cancellation of a licence or indeed imprisonment’.  Despite all the complaints reported to DAFF (Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry), there is no evidence that a single export licence has been suspended, let alone cancelled.  The department, instead, places additional conditions on future consignments for exporters found to be in the wrong.

The Abbott government is ‘stepping up efforts to reopen live exports to Saudi Arabia’.  However, Saudi Arabia will not accept the ESCAS.  Mr Barnaby Joyce has proposed ‘we could operate an equivalent system’, but one could only deduce that this ‘equivalent system’ would be weaker.  How will our animals fare under a weaker system?

The Abbott government is also finalising a trade deal to supply China with cattle.  This deal could have serious repercussions for exporters of chilled and frozen beef.   There are also predictions that the price we currently pay for our beef will skyrocket.      

Research by economic consultant, ACIL Tasman, shows that a sheep processed domestically is worth 20 per cent more to the Australian economy than one exported live.  A report by the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) shows that a single meat processing facility could contribute over $200m to the regional economy, create 1,300 full time jobs and increase a northern beef farmer’s income by up to 245 per cent.

The Greens want to see an end to unnecessary, and arguably barbaric, live exports, building a stronger domestic meat processing sector and a stronger economy.   

Iain Fyfe,

Greens Candidate for Goulburn NSW State Election 2015