Live Export
Live export
standards |
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Australian Livestock Export Standards – a flawed process
In early 2006, Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) published a
report World livestock export standards: A comparison of
development, processes, systems and outcomes achieved. As a
consequence of the information provided in this report, the
livestock export industry now claims that Australia has world’s
best-practice standards in the export of livestock.
RSPCA Australia believes that the controversial livestock
export trade is fraught with serious animal welfare issues and, in
2007, sought to investigate the validity of the claims presented
in the MLA report. The result is our own analysis
Australian livestock export
standards – a flawed process, a thorough assessment which
concludes that the MLA report is neither good quality nor unbiased
and has fundamentally invalid conclusions that are not supported
by the findings in the report itself.
For example, specific problems identified with the Australian
Standards for the Export of Livestock (ASEL) which were not
identified in the MLA report, include:
- The majority of Standards are effectively unenforceable under
current legislation
- Many Standards require things that are not measurable or
amenable to regulation
- Exemptions from Standards are permitted with no requirement
for justification
- There is no overall lack of transparency, reporting and
feedback in the export process
- Loopholes in the Standards mean that not all animals are
covered
Furthermore, we identified serious flaws with the development
process for the ASEL, including:
- The Livestock Exports Standards Advisory Committee (LESAC)
does not give due consideration to regulation and enforcement of
the Standards
- LESAC is expected to make complex scientific assessments
without access to all of the relevant data
- The composition of the Technical Working Group (TWG) is
inadequate to address animal welfare questions
Without addressing these issues, there is little hope that the
welfare of exported livestock (while still in Australia and
on-board the sea vessels) can be adequately protected. In
addition, the frequent poor handling, transport and slaughter of
Australian animals in importing countries merely strengthens our
position that this unnecessary trade must end.
Click here to access the RSPCA
report.
What you can do to help
Make your voice heard! Write to the
Australian Government Minister for Agriculture,
Fisheries and Forestry, your
State or Territory
Primary Industry / Agriculture Minister,
your
local MP and to local newspapers (click
here for the contact details of major newspapers). Express
your opposition to the live export of animals for slaughter.
When writing your letter, feel free to use any of the
information provided on our website. Your letter will have even
more impact if you keep it focused on why banning live exports
matters to you. It’s the personal touch that counts!
See the
Media Releases section for more information.
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