Greens animal welfare spokesperson Senator Lee Rhiannon has called on the federal Minister for Agriculture to refuse permission for the export of up to 60,000 sheep by owners of Emanuel Exports that has had one of its export licenses suspended over investigations into systemic animal cruelty.

“Media reports that an owner of Emanuel Exports is applying to use the license of its sister company EMS Rural Exports to ship up to 60,000 sheep straight into the most dangerous of the northern hemisphere summer months are alarming,” Senator Rhiannon said.

Senators Lee Rhiannon and Derryn Hinch are working together to stop the emerging global live export trade in donkeys and horses. The donkeys are slaughtered for their skins, which are boiled into a glutinous glue called Ejiao that is being marketed as a “vitality tonic”.

The Export Control Amendment (Equine Live Export for Slaughter Prohibition) Bill, to be introduced into the Senate tomorrow, if passed would prohibit the live export of horses and donkeys for the purpose of slaughter overseas.

The Greens are calling on the Turnbull government to recognise that the live sheep trade is winding down and to immediately provide transition packages to both the farmers who sell sheep to the live export trade and to the local meat processing industry to take up those affected sheep.

Greens animal welfare spokesperson Senator Lee Rhiannon said, “The government must act on the news that tens of thousands of sheep will not be exported this year due to the actions of two live export companies.

MEDIA RELEASE – 20 June 2018

Greens call for live export transition plan in wake of LSS summer sheep export suspension

Greens spokesperson for Animal Welfare Senator Lee Rhiannon has called on the Turnbull government to legislate a transition out of the live sheep export industry in response to the temporary suspension of summer sheep exports from Western Australia by Livestock Shipping Services (LSS).

Monday, 18 June 2018

Senator RHIANNON (New South Wales) (11:15): I'm very pleased to co-sponsor the Animal Export Legislation Amendment (Ending Long-haul Live Sheep Exports) Bill 2018 today with Senators Derryn Hinch and Tim Storer. This bill sets out a framework over five years to transition away from the very worst of the live-export sea voyages, those long-haul live sheep and lamb shipments that sail into the Northern Hemisphere summer months and into the riskiest of shipping routes through the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.

This week in the federal parliament myself and Senators Hinch & Storer introduced our Animal Export Legislation Amendment (Ending Long‑haul Live Sheep Exports) Bill 2018 to the Senate.

A bill to end live sheep exports, co-sponsored by three crossbench Senators, has been introduced for debate in the Senate today. 

The Animal Export Legislation Amendment (Ending Long haul Live Sheep Exports) Bill 2018 is cosponsored by Senators Lee Rhiannon, Derryn Hinch and Tim Storer.

Greens animal welfare and rights spokesperson Senator Rhiannon said, “Our priority in preparing this particular Bill has been to end the shocking cruelty that tens of thousands of sheep must endure when they are exported for overseas slaughter. 

MEDIA RELEASE – 21 May 2018

Greens call on Turnbull to back Ley’s live export Bill

Greens spokesperson for animal welfare Senator Lee Rhiannon has congratulated Sussan Ley for introducing a Bill to the House of Representatives to transition out of live sheep exports and has called on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to support the Bill.

“I congratulate Sussan Ley for taking a stand against animal cruelty and introducing this Bill to the House of Representatives to transition Australia out of the live sheep export trade.

The Australian Greens today confirmed the crossbench Senate bill to end live sheep exports will proceed on June 18 after the Independent Review of Conditions for the Export of Sheep’s failed to give recommendations that would guarantee that the mass deaths of sheep on live export ships will end.

“Minister David Littleproud effectively set this inquiry up to deliver recommendations that suit the interests of the live export industry,” Greens Animal Welfare spokesperson Senator Lee Rhiannon said.

A pathway to transition away from the live sheep export trade could be in place before the end of the year if Senate crossbenchers can win support for their Private Members Bill.

Senators Lee Rhiannon and Derryn Hinch have given notice of the Animal Export Legislation Amendment (Ending Long-Haul Live Sheep Exports) Bill 2018. They hope it will be debated and voted on during the June Senate sitting.