❓ Donaldson questions the Minister about the state government's stance on live animal exports, given federal Labor's potential ban. Chance clarifies O'Brien's statement and emphasizes the industry's need to address public concerns about animal welfare, while highlighting Australia's positive influence on welfare standards in destination markets.
AnsweredQoN 1021Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
LIVE ANIMAL EXPORTS
The Labor Party’s federal agricultural spokesperson, Senator Kerry O’Brien, stated recently that he would consider, if elected to government, banning live animal exports if the public believed that animal welfare concerns were not being properly met. Given the vital importance of the industry to Western Australia and the work already done by the Western Australian Department of Agriculture and Food and successive state governments in ensuring destination countries of the livestock are meeting both shipping and handling standards under the Animal Welfare Act, will the minister give industry an assurance that the state government does not support banning livestock shipments and that Senator O’Brien will be counselled accordingly? Hon KIM CHANCE
The Labor Party’s federal agricultural spokesperson, Senator Kerry O’Brien, stated recently that he would consider, if elected to government, banning live animal exports if the public believed that animal welfare concerns were not being properly met. Given the vital importance of the industry to Western Australia and the work already done by the Western Australian Department of Agriculture and Food and successive state governments in ensuring destination countries of the livestock are meeting both shipping and handling standards under the Animal Welfare Act, will the minister give industry an assurance that the state government does not support banning livestock shipments and that Senator O’Brien will be counselled accordingly? Hon KIM CHANCE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank Hon Bruce Donaldson for his question. Firstly, I believe that Hon Bruce Donaldson has marginally misquoted the Labor shadow minister for agriculture, Senator Kerry O’Brien. He did in fact not say that. What he said was that unless the livestock export trade was able to convince the Australian public, there would be no choice for governments in the future but to close down the trade. I agree with that entirely; in fact, I have been telling the live animal export trade that for years. We live in a democracy. If the people of Australia do not feel that we are satisfying their ambitions for animal welfare, it is inevitable that a future federal government, of whatever persuasion, will close the industry down. I have been saying that very clearly to the live export industry for years. The live export industry recognises that as one of the realities of life. The industry knows that it has a task to convince the Australian public that the continued engagement of Australia in the live export industry is worth doing. I might add that I absolutely believe that Australia’s place in the live export industry is of immense value from an animal welfare perspective, because no other country is doing anything in the designation markets that we speak of in north Africa, west Asia and the Middle East, to raise animal welfare standards, which in some areas are of a very poor standard. I must give full credit to LiveCorp and to Meat and Livestock Australia in particular for the task that they have carried out in the area of improving standards in abattoirs and in the logistics of road transport particularly, but also shipping, from what were appallingly low standards in some areas. What I have been able to observe in the region is that the Australian involvement in the trade has been entirely beneficial. Without Australia’s involvement in the trade, we could expect things to slip back. However, it is a reality and all Senator Kerry O’Brien was doing was making the point that unless Australian voters can be convinced of that, the trade will be at risk. That is the grim reality of living in a democracy.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Bruce Donaldson for his question. Firstly, I believe that Hon Bruce Donaldson has marginally misquoted the Labor shadow minister for agriculture, Senator Kerry O’Brien. He did in fact not say that. What he said was that unless the livestock export trade was able to convince the Australian public, there would be no choice for governments in the future but to close down the trade. I agree with that entirely; in fact, I have been telling the live animal export trade that for years. We live in a democracy. If the people of Australia do not feel that we are satisfying their ambitions for animal welfare, it is inevitable that a future federal government, of whatever persuasion, will close the industry down. I have been saying that very clearly to the live export industry for years. The live export industry recognises that as one of the realities of life. The industry knows that it has a task to convince the Australian public that the continued engagement of Australia in the live export industry is worth doing. I might add that I absolutely believe that Australia’s place in the live export industry is of immense value from an animal welfare perspective, because no other country is doing anything in the designation markets that we speak of in north Africa, west Asia and the Middle East, to raise animal welfare standards, which in some areas are of a very poor standard. I must give full credit to LiveCorp and to Meat and Livestock Australia in particular for the task that they have carried out in the area of improving standards in abattoirs and in the logistics of road transport particularly, but also shipping, from what were appallingly low standards in some areas. What I have been able to observe in the region is that the Australian involvement in the trade has been entirely beneficial. Without Australia’s involvement in the trade, we could expect things to slip back. However, it is a reality and all Senator Kerry O’Brien was doing was making the point that unless Australian voters can be convinced of that, the trade will be at risk. That is the grim reality of living in a democracy.
I thank Hon Bruce Donaldson for his question. Firstly, I believe that Hon Bruce Donaldson has marginally misquoted the Labor shadow minister for agriculture, Senator Kerry O’Brien. He did in fact not say that. What he said was that unless the livestock export trade was able to convince the Australian public, there would be no choice for governments in the future but to close down the trade. I agree with that entirely; in fact, I have been telling the live animal export trade that for years. We live in a democracy. If the people of Australia do not feel that we are satisfying their ambitions for animal welfare, it is inevitable that a future federal government, of whatever persuasion, will close the industry down. I have been saying that very clearly to the live export industry for years. The live export industry recognises that as one of the realities of life. The industry knows that it has a task to convince the Australian public that the continued engagement of Australia in the live export industry is worth doing. I might add that I absolutely believe that Australia’s place in the live export industry is of immense value from an animal welfare perspective, because no other country is doing anything in the designation markets that we speak of in north Africa, west Asia and the Middle East, to raise animal welfare standards, which in some areas are of a very poor standard. I must give full credit to LiveCorp and to Meat and Livestock Australia in particular for the task that they have carried out in the area of improving standards in abattoirs and in the logistics of road transport particularly, but also shipping, from what were appallingly low standards in some areas. What I have been able to observe in the region is that the Australian involvement in the trade has been entirely beneficial. Without Australia’s involvement in the trade, we could expect things to slip back. However, it is a reality and all Senator Kerry O’Brien was doing was making the point that unless Australian voters can be convinced of that, the trade will be at risk. That is the grim reality of living in a democracy.
I must give full credit to LiveCorp and to Meat and Livestock Australia in particular for the task that they have carried out in the area of improving standards in abattoirs and in the logistics of road transport particularly, but also shipping, from what were appallingly low standards in some areas. What I have been able to observe in the region is that the Australian involvement in the trade has been entirely beneficial. Without Australia’s involvement in the trade, we could expect things to slip back. However, it is a reality and all Senator Kerry O’Brien was doing was making the point that unless Australian voters can be convinced of that, the trade will be at risk. That is the grim reality of living in a democracy.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Bruce Donaldson for his question. Firstly, I believe that Hon Bruce Donaldson has marginally misquoted the Labor shadow minister for agriculture, Senator Kerry O’Brien. He did in fact not say that. What he said was that unless the livestock export trade was able to convince the Australian public, there would be no choice for governments in the future but to close down the trade. I agree with that entirely; in fact, I have been telling the live animal export trade that for years. We live in a democracy. If the people of Australia do not feel that we are satisfying their ambitions for animal welfare, it is inevitable that a future federal government, of whatever persuasion, will close the industry down. I have been saying that very clearly to the live export industry for years. The live export industry recognises that as one of the realities of life. The industry knows that it has a task to convince the Australian public that the continued engagement of Australia in the live export industry is worth doing. I might add that I absolutely believe that Australia’s place in the live export industry is of immense value from an animal welfare perspective, because no other country is doing anything in the designation markets that we speak of in north Africa, west Asia and the Middle East, to raise animal welfare standards, which in some areas are of a very poor standard. I must give full credit to LiveCorp and to Meat and Livestock Australia in particular for the task that they have carried out in the area of improving standards in abattoirs and in the logistics of road transport particularly, but also shipping, from what were appallingly low standards in some areas. What I have been able to observe in the region is that the Australian involvement in the trade has been entirely beneficial. Without Australia’s involvement in the trade, we could expect things to slip back. However, it is a reality and all Senator Kerry O’Brien was doing was making the point that unless Australian voters can be convinced of that, the trade will be at risk. That is the grim reality of living in a democracy.
I thank Hon Bruce Donaldson for his question. Firstly, I believe that Hon Bruce Donaldson has marginally misquoted the Labor shadow minister for agriculture, Senator Kerry O’Brien. He did in fact not say that. What he said was that unless the livestock export trade was able to convince the Australian public, there would be no choice for governments in the future but to close down the trade. I agree with that entirely; in fact, I have been telling the live animal export trade that for years. We live in a democracy. If the people of Australia do not feel that we are satisfying their ambitions for animal welfare, it is inevitable that a future federal government, of whatever persuasion, will close the industry down. I have been saying that very clearly to the live export industry for years. The live export industry recognises that as one of the realities of life. The industry knows that it has a task to convince the Australian public that the continued engagement of Australia in the live export industry is worth doing. I might add that I absolutely believe that Australia’s place in the live export industry is of immense value from an animal welfare perspective, because no other country is doing anything in the designation markets that we speak of in north Africa, west Asia and the Middle East, to raise animal welfare standards, which in some areas are of a very poor standard. I must give full credit to LiveCorp and to Meat and Livestock Australia in particular for the task that they have carried out in the area of improving standards in abattoirs and in the logistics of road transport particularly, but also shipping, from what were appallingly low standards in some areas. What I have been able to observe in the region is that the Australian involvement in the trade has been entirely beneficial. Without Australia’s involvement in the trade, we could expect things to slip back. However, it is a reality and all Senator Kerry O’Brien was doing was making the point that unless Australian voters can be convinced of that, the trade will be at risk. That is the grim reality of living in a democracy.
I must give full credit to LiveCorp and to Meat and Livestock Australia in particular for the task that they have carried out in the area of improving standards in abattoirs and in the logistics of road transport particularly, but also shipping, from what were appallingly low standards in some areas. What I have been able to observe in the region is that the Australian involvement in the trade has been entirely beneficial. Without Australia’s involvement in the trade, we could expect things to slip back. However, it is a reality and all Senator Kerry O’Brien was doing was making the point that unless Australian voters can be convinced of that, the trade will be at risk. That is the grim reality of living in a democracy.
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