I rise to speak on the Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Amendment (Dairy Cattle Export Chart) Bill 2020 as the Greens senator responsible for animal welfare.

The MV Al Kuwait that departed Fremantle in June was a horrific journey. According to the Independent Observersummary report, up to 5,000 of the sheep on board experienced severe or serious heat stress, with laboured breathing, open-mouth panting and appearances of being stressed or in extreme discomfort; 28 sheep died, and many more were hospitalised. We knew this was going to happen. We knew this was inevitable.

Australian Greens Animal Welfare spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has responded to the announcement that greyhound and horse racing will continue under Stage 4 lockdown in Victoria.

Senator Faruqi said:

“It beggars belief that greyhound and horse racing are continuing during Stage 4 lockdown in Victoria. This is totally absurd and galling.

“The powerful influence of the gambling-fuelled greyhound and horse racing industries has been laid bare. These industries are fundamentally incompatible with animal welfare.

“It’s still cruelty if no one’s watching.”

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

   (i) more than 100 greyhounds have been killed at racing tracks across Australia so far this year,

   (ii) more than 3,000 injuries have been suffered by greyhounds at racing tracks across Australia so far this year, and

   (iii) unlike other sports, greyhound and horse racing was allowed to continue during COVID-19 in all states and territories where it usually operates, with the exception of Tasmania;

(b) recognises that greyhound racing is an inherently dangerous and cruel 'sport'; and

I move:

That the Senate take note of the answer given by Senator Ruston to a question without notice asked by Senator Faruqi today relating to animal welfare and live exports.

Senator FARUQI (New South Wales) (14:41): My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management. In 2018, Minister Littleproud said he was shocked and gutted by footage of thousands of suffering sheep being cooked alive aboard the live export ship Awassi Express. All of Australia was shocked and appalled by this unspeakable cruelty to animals which has been going on for decades.

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

   (i) on 2 June 2020 the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment denied live exporter Rural Export and Trading (WA) Pty Ltd RETWA an exemption to new rules which prohibit the export of sheep by sea to the Middle East during the northern summer,

   (ii) on 13 June 2020, the Department back-flipped on this decision, granting an exemption to allow approximately 50,000 sheep to be exported;

Let's be clear. The live export industry is based on animal cruelty, on animal misery, on blood soaked supply chains, but this government do not give a damn. They have just given an exemption for 50,000 sheep to be sent off to the extreme heat of the northern summer where they will face immense heat stress and they will be at risk of death. You make a mockery of your own rules. You should be ashamed. You don't care about animal welfare. The so-called independence of the department of agriculture is a farce. It's a joke. Ban live export. Shut it down!

Following an unsuccessful last-minute court challenge by Animals Australia, Australian Greens Animal Welfare spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that the Agriculture Minister, David Littleproud MP, must urgently intervene to halt the departure of the RETWA live export ship from Australia.

Senator Faruqi will move a motion in the Senate this afternoon calling on the Minister to intervene and stop the RETWA ship from departing Australia.

Senator Faruqi said:

The Greens oppose this motion. The live animal export trade is an industry built on cruelty and on so-called standards that guarantee the horrific cruelty and death of thousands of animals. At the moment there isn't even a semblance of oversight on these ships of misery, as independent observers have been taken off the ships because of COVID-19. There's not one bad apple; the whole barrel is rotten. Misery and cruelty are inherent in live animal exports, and the industry has shown time and again that it is incapable of reform.