Fremantle mayor’s push ignores reality, Gardiner
Author: Philip Gardiner
Published on: 27-May-2010
Hon Philip Gardiner MLC, Member for the Agricultural Region, today labelled the call by two City of Fremantle councillors to end the live export trade out of the port as ill-informed and ignorant of the facts.
The West Australian today revealed that Fremantle mayor, Brad Pettit and fellow councillor, Josh Wilson, would put a resolution to the next council meeting calling for the live animal export trade to be phased out in the next five years and replaced with chilled meat products.
Mr Gardiner said anyone who suggests the live export trade is cruel was ignoring the facts.
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Australian farmers are recognised as world leaders in animal welfare, a reputation that extends to live shipping with standards unequalled anywhere in the world,” he said.
“The trade from Australia is a heavily regulated and scrutinised practice and its commitment to animal welfare continues to be the benchmark for similar industries around the world.”
Far from being cruel and inhumane, Mr Gardiner said the reality was an industry proud of its commitment to, and investment in, the welfare of the animals exported.
“On live export ships, including those that depart from Fremantle, animals are able to move freely within their pens and have constant access to food and water on board,” he said.
“A qualified veterinarian travels on every ship to the Middle East, one of our major export markets. Any livestock affected by the voyage are moved to specialised, intensive car pens for closer monitoring.”
Around 80 per cent of Australia’s live sheep exports are moved through Western Australian with Fremantle being the major port of embarkation. According to industry figures the Australian economy benefitted to the tune of almost $1 billion in income in 2009 from livestock exports.
Mr Gardiner also said that calls for livestock exports to be replaced with a chilled meat trade were naive, short-sighted and out of touch with reality.
“While there is certainly demand for chilled meat, the demand for livestock would not dissipate and would end up being filled by other countries if Australia was to reduce its capacity to export,” he said. “And as world leaders in animal welfare, any country that comes after us will obviously not have as rigorous standards.
“The chilled trade only goes so far. In 2007, when the Australian industry was unable to meet the demand for livestock exports due to tough seasonal conditions, demand for boxed meet didn’t meet the shortfall. Countries like Sudan and Iran stepped in to pick up the slack, sending live animals to the Middle East. Clearly, it’s not simply a matter of switching to a chilled trade.
“I would urge Crs Pettit and Wilson to consider carefully the facts surrounding the issue before pushing for such a major change to the industry in this country,” Mr Gardiner concluded.
