Labor leader says that ‘only a monster’ would think live export industry should be unchanged

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Bill Shorten has demanded a suspension of shipments of live sheep during the northern summer and blasted the Coalition for failing to update standards to protect sheep.

On Thursday the bipartisan consensus to wait for a series of reviews before intervening in the industry began to fracture, with the Liberal MP Sussan Ley proposing a private member’s bill for a total ban, the Labor MP Josh Wilson backing a ban and Shorten warning the government his patience is “running very thin”.

The agriculture minister, David Littleproud, said results of a review into the sheep trade during the Middle Eastern summer were just three weeks away.

He accused Labor of a “kneejerk reaction” that would “punish farmers” and expressed disappointment in Shorten for breaking bipartisanship on the issue.

The latest debate about live exports was sparked by footage of about 2,400 sheep that died on an Emanuel Exports ship from Fremantle to the Middle East in August 2017.

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“I felt sick to the stomach when I saw the vision,” Shorten said. “Only a monster would think it’s fine for this to continue without any change.



“The industry has had plenty of chances to clean up its act and it’s failed. The government has had plenty of chances to properly regulate and it’s failed.”

Shorten called on the Turnbull government to immediately adopt Labor’s plan to appoint an independent inspector general of animal welfare.

Liberal MP to introduce bill to ban live exports as industry agrees to more oversight Read more

Labor will honour its commitment to wait for a review into the northern summer trade of live sheep but Shorten said it was “unlikely to conclude [it] is sustainable” and all northern summer shipments of sheep not already beyond the farm gate should be suspended.

“We are absolutely open to working with the government on bipartisan reforms but it’s not acceptable to allow deaths and shocking mistreatment to occur just because we are waiting for a report to be handed down.”

On Thursday Littleproud announced terms of reference for a separate review to be completed by August and appointed a former public servant, Philip Moss, to conduct it.

“What we saw on film this past fortnight must never happen again,” Littleproud said. “Those who do the wrong thing must be caught and nailed.

“The review will assess the powers available to the department to make sure exporters obey the regulations.

“It will also consider whether an inspector general of livestock exports would be useful and effective. I don’t care who thought of the idea – let’s see if it’s a good one.”

Although Labor is wary about a kneejerk reaction after its scarring experience suspending the live cattle trade during the Gillard government, Shorten’s move was prompted by growing concern about animal welfare in its ranks.

The West Australian agriculture minister, Alannah MacTiernan, has called for a two- to three-month suspension in the summer trade from 9 April.

On Thursday, Wilson told Guardian Australia he had “always opposed the live sheep export, a trade that occurs almost exclusively out of my electorate of Fremantle”.

“The community I represent knows this trade is inherently cruel and that animal suffering on these journeys is not the exception but the rule,” the Labor MP said.

“It’s time for the trade to end ... The government should abandon its role as an apologist for the systemic mistreatment of animals and work to create a transition package as a matter of urgency.”

The Labor senator Lisa Singh said the Turnbull government must accept that animal welfare standards “don’t and can’t meet reasonable animal welfare conditions nor community expectations” and must be updated.

Live exports could be dramatically reduced if animal cruelty case succeeds Read more

At the National Press Club the acting prime minister, Michael McCormack, said the footage was “disturbing” and “appalling for everybody who saw” it.

But the Nationals leader warned that if Australia abandoned the live export trade the gap would be filled by “countries who do not place animal welfare first and foremost in their exporting”.

McCormack said after the review the government would follow through to make animal welfare standards “front and centre to all export opportunities”.

“I don’t believe that we should ban the trade holus-bolus,” he said, citing sharp drops in cattle prices after the Gillard-era ban.

Labor wants new industry standards to address reducing stock densities, increasing access to water, increasing the numbers of crew to care for sheep and improved waste management standards so sheep are not expected to stand, sit and sleep in their own waste.

The live export industry has proposed a range of changes to reduce the number of animals allowed on ships and permit independent inspectors on vessels in a concession to public concern.

The Australian Live Export Council chairman, Simon Crean, said changes proposed by industry were adopted at a meeting in Brisbane on Wednesday to help drive cultural change in the industry.