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as the Festival of Sacrifice commences in the Middle East

Australians say no to live export



26 November 2009 @ 08:45 am AEST

The largest single petition ever lodged with the Rudd Government's Petitions Committee includes the signatures of over 34,000 Australians opposed to live animal exports to the Middle East.  The huge box of petitions arrived this week - just as Australian sheep and cattle are being bought to cruelly handled and slaughtered for the Eid Al Adha 'Festival of Sacrifice' in importing countries in the Middle East.

Previously more than 225,000 signatures have been tabled in the Senate over several years.  Today's tally of 34,068 to the new House of Representatives Petitions Committee and 208 to the Senate (tabled by Senator Siewert), brings the cumulative tally to over 259,000 Australians' signatures in opposition to the cruel export of animals to the Middle East

Animals Australia Executive Director Glenys Oogjes said today,

"Animals Australia chose this week to present further petitions because tragically Australian sheep and cattle are currently being yarded in the Middle East to be sold and killed during the Eid al Adha.. This three day 'Festival of Sacrifice' represents the peak time for animal suffering in the Middle East.

"Our investigators have during past Eid 'slaughterfests' documented traumatised Australian sheep being dragged by their horns and fleece, tied up, thrown onto trucks or shoved into car boots before being 'sacrificed' by having their throats cut whilst fully conscious. Despite this clear evidence of cruelty, the Australian Government allows the supply of many hundreds of thousands of sheep specifically for this festival each year. 

"Despite strong community opposition, the live export of animals to the Middle East continues.  Each year some 30,000 to 40,000 sheep sicken and die on the ships during the journey.  That Australia continues to value the profits of a small number of live exporters over our international reputation as a caring society is a national disgrace", concluded Ms Oogjes.

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0.
December
22nd, 2009
7:12pm

How about setting humane standards for shipment and enforcing them?

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-1.
November
28th, 2009
5:56am

The Australian livestock industry keep on with the same old mantra - grow up Australia and follow the trend in Europe which is moving away from long journeys for these poor animals. If nothing else Australia should consider the carbon imprint of live exports.

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-2.
November
27th, 2009
11:21pm

The live sheep trade is an absolute disgrace. Shame on anyone who contributes to this cruel immoral trade. It is wrong and should not be part of Australian society.

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-3.
November
27th, 2009
8:12pm

There is no point in having any sort of standards if they are not enforced. Live export is cruel and uncontrolled, and many animals suffer and die - it's inhumane. Stop Live Export. There ARE other alternatives.

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-4.
November
27th, 2009
3:16am

that's a pretty harsh thing to do

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-5.
November
27th, 2009
12:27am

This industry has destroyed Australia?s international reputation as a ?civilised? nation and successive, sycophantic governments are complicit for allowing the wholesale cruelty to Australia?s export livestock.. A predatory livestock industry which has the moral development of a gnat has no place in an enlightened society!

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-6.
November
26th, 2009
11:35pm

The meat industry make all kinds of claims about the "high" standard of animal care, and the "huge" amount of money this trade supposedly creates... but it is all propaganda. Kevin Rudd must make a stand against this unimagineable cruelty. It is simply not acceptable that in 2009 the Australian government is continuing to allow this trade. It is wrong at every level and the Australian public have had enough.

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-7.
November
26th, 2009
10:53pm

I hope the the Prime Minister finally listens, understands and stopps the Live Export of sheep. It is, whatever the industry says, a cruel and uncontrolled business. And if we slaughter the sheep close to home the benefits for Australian farmes are an additionol 2o% of income. No reason to continue the Live Exports.Rainer

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-8.
November
26th, 2009
10:52pm

I hope the the Prime Minister finally listens, understands and stopps the Live Export of sheep. It is, whatever the industry says, a cruel and uncontrolled business. And if we slaughter the sheep close to home the benefits for Australian farmes are an additionol 2o% of income. No reason to continue the Live Exports.Rainer

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-9.
November
26th, 2009
7:20pm

I do not see how it is possible for one vet and one stockman on board the vessel to ensure the health of 100, 000 sheep ! Surely this isn't adequate.

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-10.
November
26th, 2009
5:46pm

The overwhelming majority of people in Australia, really cannot stand the live export trade in animals. Just seeing the huge number of people who have signed the petition is evidence of this. The figures on the number of jobs and the amount it contributes to the economy is also highly questionable. Many of the 13,000 jobs the industry talks about, include non-direct jobs (such as the farmer's dentist, ag supplier etc), jobs that would still be needed in a chilled meat trade. The trade is not properly monitored and its just plain cruel, the sooner it ends the better. This trade is a blight on Australia

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-11.
November
26th, 2009
3:38am

Those who promote the live exports of animals are driven by dollars and jobs. The industry provides jobs for more than 13,000 people, and it contributes more than $1.8 billion per year to the Australian economy. However, it gets rather tiresome to hear about atrocities to animals, and environmental degradation, being justified by "jobs" and "economic benefits"! This is how the violence to kangaroos is being justified too! They are just an "industry" rather than sentient native animals that we should love as our national symbols. If the suffering starts during the voyage, with the 40,000 sheep dying on their way to slaughter in the Middle East, it doesn't end there. There are no animal welfare laws in the Middle East, and there are no limits to the way the animals are treated or slaughtered.The Festival of Sacrifice should be called the Festival of Suffering! Crime, gambling, drugs, the sex industry all could be justified by "jobs" and "economic benefits" too! That doesn't make them ethical, sustainable or correct.

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-12.
November
25th, 2009
6:34pm

Of course people HATE the live export of our animals and we are not taken in by the misleading claims of the industry. The live export industry and Australian Govt makes unsubstantiated claims that the industry is regulated by federal govt. There are rules in place but the issue is that the rules are not policed or enforced. From source to port, there is no individual inspection by govt inspectors. AQIS only attend the port intermittently and so essentially the export trade is self regulating. And of course what happens to the animals on board and once they get to the destination is just unacceptable. We are supposed to be a humane nation...we are in reality far from it!

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