The Australian Greens will today introduce a private members bill to end the live export of livestock for slaughter.
Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson for animal welfare today announced a two pronged approach to ending live export, 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.
"In the first instance, the Minister must act to suspend licences for export and then ultimately this trade must be permanently ended.
"People are already writing to me expressing their shock at the images they saw last night. I was horrified when I first saw them and was horrified again last night.
"The Minister has not done enough on this issue, he needs to act now," said Senator Siewert.
In WA, Senator Siewert’s home state, live export has been an on-going campaign for the Greens, and Lynn MacLaren, WA Greens MLC has today backed the federal push for legislation.
"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 said.
"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," said Ms MacLaren.
Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson for animal welfare today announced a two pronged approach to ending live export, 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.
"In the first instance, the Minister must act to suspend licences for export and then ultimately this trade must be permanently ended.
"People are already writing to me expressing their shock at the images they saw last night. I was horrified when I first saw them and was horrified again last night.
"The Minister has not done enough on this issue, he needs to act now," said Senator Siewert.
In WA, Senator Siewert’s home state, live export has been an on-going campaign for the Greens, and Lynn MacLaren, WA Greens MLC has today backed the federal push for legislation.
"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 said.
"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," said Ms MacLaren.
Read the proposed legislation here.
