WITH the live sheep ban passing the house of representatives and heading for the senate, members of the crossbench have started the campaign against live cattle exports.
The “Teal” MPs, based in and around Sydney and Melbourne where banning live exports is unlikely to impact the day-to-day lives, or be understood, by constituents have been big supporters of the phase out. One Teal MP in Western Australia, which will feel the full brunt of the ban, has made a late decision to vote against it.
One of the loudest supporters of the ban was Zali Steggall from the Warringah electorate on the Northern beaches of Sydney – whose only issues with the bill were that it would mean the live sheep industry exists for another four years, that it needs more money for the transition and that it did not focus on live cattle exports as well.
“There is a deep concern for animal welfare and safety amongst Warringah residents. This includes concern for the welfare of animals being shipped overseas as live exports,” Ms Steggall said in a speech to parliament.
“I have consistently said that it is our moral and ethical responsibility to bring an end to live animal exports.”
Western Australian Teal MP Kate Chaney has taken a different track to the other independents in the east.
Ms Chaney started the week with a speech to parliament detailing her engagement with people for and against the ban, deciding that “on balance” she was going to support it.
But a few days later she took to social media saying that she had changed her mind and had decided the impacts on livelihoods, mental health, families and communities were not worth banning an industry.
“It’s hard to change your mind, but as a community independent I committed to listening to my community and that is what I have done,” she said.
“Because I am not a member of a political party, I can change my mind based on the evidence. I have agonised over this as I think every parliamentarian should over every vote.”
Ms Chaney said if the industry is not banned, she would like to see more strict oversight of animal welfare.
Teals now going after live cattle exports
While the Government has been putting the live sheep industry on the agenda in recent months, the Teals have been quick to state their intentions of going after live cattle exports next.
When agriculture minister Murray Watt formally announced the Government’s plan in May, North Sydney MP Kylea Tink took to social media to say that her only disappointment was that it was going to take four years and that it did not include beef cattle.
A similar point was made in Ms Steggall’s speech earlier this week, who acknowledged that there are greater economic consequences of banning live cattle exports.
In the meantime, she said the Government should be putting greater scrutiny on animal welfare on live cattle shipments, citing an incident earlier this year where more than 100 cattle died on a shipment to Indonesia – from what is believed to be from a toxin ingested on a property before undergoing the voyage.
“That’s one of the highest mortality rates ever reported on an Australian live cattle shipment,” Ms Steggall said in parliament.
Beef Central pointed out to Ms Steggall that 50 other cattle from the same property died in the pre-export yards and that it was likely the cattle on the boat would have died whether they were in the paddock, in the yards or in a processor’s lairage.
“Zali stands by her speech as the cattle died during export and is not aware that any vets were on the ship,” a spokesperson for the MP said.
Ms Steggall said Australia was just catching up to the rest of the world, pointing to live export bans in New Zealand and the United Kingdom – despite the NZ Government planning to bring back live exports.
Speaking to Beef Central after announcing the ban, agriculture minister Murray Watt said he was pushed by some of the crossbench MPs to ban live cattle. To which he said live cattle export was an industry that enjoyed the Government’s support.
Nationals MP not convinced
Following Ms Steggall’s speech, Southern New South Wales Nationals MP Michael McCormack said he was not convinced about the Government’s support for live cattle exports.
“Our cattle producers would be very nervous if they were listening to that speech by the member for Warringah,” Mr McCormack said in a speech to parliament.
“They would be very, very nervous because, rest assured, once Labor, the teals and the Independents phase out the live sheep trade by sea, they’ll be coming after cattle next. And then what? Will it be horseracing?”
Mr McCormack questioned the secrecy of the Government’s approach to the phase out of live sheep exports, who took six months to release an independent report into it.
“They knew about the backlash that they are going to cop and will cop right up until the next election and beyond for doing this, for phasing out live sheep exports,” he said.
“It’s simply not good enough in this day and age when we’ve got the animal husbandry provisions in place. Those ships are very safe.”
Ms Steggall should stick to what she knows and is good at which is going over jumps at the snow fields.She lives in a bubble on the northern beaches and has no comprehension on the number of livelihoods she is trying to destroy, both sheep breeders and cattle breeders.
The labour government the greens and the teals are intent on ruining Australian agriculture and the big picture is if they stop mining and hamstring Agriculture we will end up the laughing stock of the world because we will have no GDP we will become a country totally committed to importing produce and our balance of trade will stifle our standard of living and the lucky country we supposedly live in will become a distant memory all because of ideology and politics.
Inner city mps wouldn’t have a clue about animals intrandit. They only see the worst case scenario and whst has been done to improve transport. Between teals, greenie and Labor Australia is on its knees.
The goal is no meat at all. Always has been. Then broadacre farming. We’re all suppose to live and eat local apparently, well, most of us anyway.
I knew the ban on live sheep exports would only be the thin edge of the wedge and then the RSPCA, Animals Australia and the left leaning politicians of all shades, would go after the live cattle exporters. The Labor party and the city elites hate anyone who dares to live out in the bush.
Stop whinging people , the only way to put an end to this nonsense is to vote this unreasonable and out of touch bunch of pollies out in the next election
Ban teals as just a pack of over Educated yahoos
Change their opinions according to the polls these days.
Not very committed
It seems there was toxicity in feed days before export.
Can’t believe government laboratories could not/would not identify this.
The TEALs are a bigger enemy than Albanese’s Labor government.
Peter Dunn, 26/06/2024
Following is a lift from the Senate papers today, relating to current Senate business, and specifically to an attempt to have the matter of live sheep export investigated and considered by a Senate Committee, given that the Bill to halt live sheep export was pushed through Reps.by the Labor government today.
“Notice given 24 June 20243 Senators McKenzie, Nampijinpa Price, Canavan, McDonald, Davey and Cadell: To move—That the following matter be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee for inquiry and report by 25 November 2024: The social, economic and environmental impacts of banning live sheep exports in Australia, with particular reference to:(a) the nature and outcomes of consultation;
No. 113—26 June 20247(b)the effects arising from the ending of live sheep exports on the Australian agricultural sector including:(i)the cost and impacts of transition for farmers, exporters, transporters and other participants in the supply chain,(ii)the process for any Government assistance,(iii)impacts on local communities including regional and remote employment and mental health, particularly in Western Australia,(iv)the impact on livestock production, prices and competition,(v)impacts on the processing of livestock within Australia,(vi)the impact on international animal welfare standards, and(vii)impacts on other industries within agriculture or the wider economy;(c)the effect of Australia’s live sheep export ban on our trade partners and the barriers to trade in chilled meat; and(d)any related matters.”
Undoubtedly, if the attempt is successful, opponents like Tony Brightling will make a submission to that Senate Committee, as is his right, and no criticism of that should be made.
Counteractively, every sheep exporter, and for that matter, every cattle exporter, together with every member of every allied trade and organisation, should also exercise their right and make a submission.
Anyone who requires assistance should be able to find it in the office of their Federal Member, any Senator representing their state, or any of their industry representative groups.
If this attempt to get it to Committee is not successful, then the Labor government will work to get the Bill passed by the Senate, and if that happens, live sheep export is all over red rover and look out live cattle export.
The last cab off the rank to then reverse any live export ban is a change of government next year. It does not require a rocket scientist intellect to work out that both targets require simultaneous pursuit, by everyone, no exceptions, if live export is to survive.
REPLY
Farmers must change with the world changes. We in Australia have more concern for animal welfare. Farmers must consider the current suffering that goes on with the present situation.
The government has promised to take care of farmers welfare as well as cattle welfare. Remember the trauma that occurred when 6000 heads of cattle drowned during an attempt to export. Australians just love animals.
So all that is reason for getting rid of income producing streams that affect not just farmers but all their allied businesses, professions, transport firms, vets, schools, towns, stock agencies etc? These animals are basically well cared for and people have been working with the other nations to improve such at their end of the line. This disbarring of live stock transport is alien to allowing people to carry out an income producing stream for many people and basically to be able to run a productive farm. Mr Watt and his supporters do not seem to realise what they are doing to these people, who are legitimately carrying out a livelihood business. Cattle and sheep producers require freedom to trade their products freely, whilst taking care of the animals and in the main, they do the latter. Just because there are some who seem to not understand farmers, farms and production needs, doesn’t make sense to stop a healthy lifestyle and income producing life. The Federal Labor government has not been fair, nor equitable concerning this matter.
And don’t forget the people when the animals arrived at their destination. These people don’t have a lot of options and cancellation of live transport takes their income away too
War on Farming continues. Meanwhile, other countries continue to work productively and develop, while we shoot ourselves in both feet.
We now witness what we all knew prior to the last election that privileged politicians from the North shore, such as Zali Steggall obviously have no regard for the welfare of, or knowledge of regional and rural Australian’s and how farmers and exporters are able managers of an industry that will continue from countries with no animal welfare management in place.
I also wonder if Middle Eastern countries and the Muslims within Australia see this as an assault by both Labor and the Teals on their beliefs and ability to continue their religious festivals where live animals are part of the religious sacrifice. Do Labor and the Teals not support our Muslim community?
Murray Watt is not fit for the position of Minister for Agriculture as he most certainly doesn’t support it!
Zali Steggall should focus on the damage humans are doing to her electorate by pouring concrete and bitumen on everything they can! She should be putting wind turbines on North Head and a solar farm on Manly beach and keep her snout out of the cattle industry that she has no understanding of!
Instead of banning live sheep exports lets ban politicians from urban electorates making decisions on rural matters. This would go a long way to reducing stress, grief and pain for rural constituents.