Greens announce legislation to end live exports

Submitted by Louise Sales on Tue, 31/05/2011 - 12:06

Greens MLC Lynn MacLaren said the Australian Greens will introduce a private members bill in Federal Parliament to end the live export of livestock for slaughter.

“The long campaign to end this suffering is at last reaching the floor of the House of Representatives in Parliament,” Ms MacLaren said.

My colleague, Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson for animal welfare today announced a two pronged approach to ending live exports, calling for the immediate suspension of export licences, followed by a legislated ban on live exports.

"Greens MP Adam Bandt has given notice today of a Bill in the House of Representatives that ends export of livestock for slaughter. This is following through on a long held Australian Greens policy," Senator Siewert said in Canberra today.

"Years of effort and millions of dollars have propped up live exports in what can only be described as a vain attempt to improve welfare. The real truth is now revealed and Australians are understandably outraged. The evidence is in and the people have spoken. Now, Members of Parliament must stand up – the ball is in their court,” said Ms MacLaren.

"Even after 15 years of scrutinising this trade, I was shocked and horrified viewing last night’s footage.”

"Neither Federal nor State Ministers have done enough on this issue, the Federal Minister needs to act now," said Ms MacLaren.

"Live exports cause unnecessary suffering and should be stopped altogether. If we continue to export animals to countries with little or no animal welfare protection, these animals will suffer unnecessarily. If we stop live exports we can stop this suffering and increase local jobs in meat processing," Ms MacLaren added.

On average, 180,000 cattle are exported from WA to Indonesia from the WA ports of Broome, Fremantle, Geraldton and Wyndham. In 2010 a total of 170,555 cattle were exported to Indonesia from Western Australia. Already this year, 7,010 cattle have been exported to Indonesia.

"The government continues to defend the industry in spite of overwhelming evidence of suffering, while the Greens have called for a replacement of live exports with a packaged meat trade," concluded Ms MacLaren.

Read the legislation online.