Rally at Parliament To Ban Live Animal Exports

Greens MLC Lynn MacLaren, Greens WA spokesperson on Animals, has tabled a petition of 4000 signatures calling for an investigation into phasing out live animal exports.

A further 1000 signatures were tabled in the Lower House.

The petition notes the high mortality rates, poorly policed animal welfare laws, and the weakened meat trade costing thousands of jobs.

The petition was handed to Lynn on the steps of Parliament House in Perth during a rally organised by Stop Live Exports.

The Greens support ending live exports and a recommended time frame for phasing out the trade enables farmers to adjust with a minimal economic impact.

"In the last shipment that left Fremantle for Egypt, in a so-called ‘flagship’ livestock vessel, hundreds of animals died en route. One can only imagine the suffering of thousands more.  This is not humane, this is not best practice and this is not how Australia should be treating its animals," Ms MacLaren said.

“In 2008, 35,000 sheep died due to starvation, stress and disease in the live export trade,” added Ms MacLaren.

Lynn recently spoke in Parliament congratulating the City of Fremantle for passing a historic motion to take a policy position to  phase out the live export trade in favour of the chilled meat trade, which would create more jobs in WA. 

The motion was significant because 80 per cent of nearly four million sheep exported from Australia leave from Fremantle.

“Opposition to this cruel trade cuts across party political lines and is championed by elected members at local, state and federal levels. We will continue to work together to put an end to live animal exports.

“Mahatma Gandhi once noted that ‘the greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated’. I think Australia is a great nation. Let’s act like one and ban live animal exports,” added Ms MacLaren. 

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