Julia Gillard turns a cold shoulder to live export activists

Thu, 2013-04-18 10:33 by Bandicoot

More than 100 protesters rallied against live animal exports during a Federal community cabinet meeting in the marginal Melbourne Labor seat of Deakin.
Animals Australia organised the event with plans to greet Prime Minister Julia Gillard on her arrival at the Norwood Secondary College venue in Ringwood. There was a heavy police presence.

Ms Gillard managed to avoid the animal activists and instead he chose to face a "safe" audience of a mainly welcoming crowd of 300 who showered her with compliments. There were questions on the National Disability Insurance scheme, gay marriage, 457 visa workers, Gonski reforms and Labor's image problem.

The protesters held up signs saying "no ban no vote" and "say no to live exports" as a heavy police presence stood guard at the school in the marginal seat of Deakin.

The PM was greeted with cheers as she entered the school, accompanied by 10 ministers including Treasurer Wayne Swan, Employment Minister Bill Shorten and Communications Minister Stephen Conroy. However, the animal activists were avoided - they must have gone through another entrance!

Animals Australia spokeswoman Lisa Chalk said the protesters wanted the federal government to ban all live animal exports.

To date, the live trade has sent over 160 million animals to be slaughtered in over a dozen countries where there are no laws to protect them from cruelty. Millions have died on ships. Every investigation and subsequent campaign has delivered results for animals — but the members of Animals Australia will not stop until this trade does.
A vote for animals has never been more important as animal welfare standards continue to drop to abysmal global levels. That's why the Animal Justice Party has formed.

The Animal Justice Party (AJP) opposes in the strongest possible terms the export of live animals, to any other country, of all species, for profit, for whatever purpose, particularly for slaughter, on welfare, humanitarian, economic and societal grounds. This is a grubby industry, lacking any real accountability, or transparency, supported by all Australian governments, in which a few private individuals and corporations make money from the misery of millions of sentient creatures.

Tens of thousands of emails hit the inboxes of the Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture within days of Four Corners. However, the Julia Gillard continues to turn her cold, hard heart against ending the trade due to heavy government support for the livestock industries. It's easier to face supporters than the nitty-gritty uncomfortable topic of animal abuse and cruelty. Blood and pain inflicted onto animals is an uncomfortable topic, best avoided!

New Zealand has already stopped exporting live animals for slaughter on the basis of unacceptable cruelty.

New rules made exporting harder, more expensive, and fewer animals today endure this journey. But the cruelty continues. These rules still allow the fully conscious slaughter of millions of animals exported from our shores every year, condemning them to a painful and prolonged death.

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EndLiveExports (not verified)

Fri, 2013-04-19 13:52

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Twisted, callous arguments used to support live exports

According to Elders managing director, Malcolm Jackman, the ban on live exports and the subsequent regulations have damaged Australia's trading relationship with Indonesia, as well as other markets including Japan. Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences is predicting live exports will drop 22 percent to 450,000 this year, after Indonesia cut its intake. According the industry lobby group, restrictions on Australian live exports would force countries to import animals from developing nations, where animal welfare levels are much lower than Australian standards. This means that unconscionable activities, like whaling, environmental destruction and slavery and other assaults on animal and human rights, should continue so the conditions can be "improved", whereas stopping it would allow others to take the place of the perpetrators. Trade relationships, and profits, are deemed of higher status than the ethics of animal welfare. It assumes that animals are merely commodities to be traded like inanimate cargo, and can be brutalized with no remorse. It's a twisted, negative and callous argument with no substance or absolutes about the basis of how living creatures deserve to be treated, and basic standards of protection from atrocities and human exploitation. The Coalition, if elected, would continue with the live export trade. The activists have vowed not to give up!

quark

Sat, 2013-05-04 16:25

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"Australian" animals tortured in Egyptian abbatoirs

It has come to light today, thanks to the video exposure by "Animals Australia" that hideous acts of cruelty have occurred in Egyptian abattoirs and The Australian Livestock Exporters Council has quite rightly halted exports of live animals to that country. I heard the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard talk about tracking and tracing animals. To me the situation is not that complex. If cruelty continues in Egypt, then no animals should leave Australia for that destination. The journey is far too long, anyway which in itself is cruel. Ultimately it doesn't matter what passports the abattoir- bound animals hold the suffering they endure will be immense and "our" animals will not get VIP treatment.

Anonymous (not verified)

Sun, 2013-05-05 09:56

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Live exports must end

Even hard-hearted live export supporters and promoters have been aghast and appalled by the recent grotesque video evidence of torture at two of Egypt's abattoirs. Minister Joe Ludwig was "sickened" by the cruelty, but nevertheless the industry still will continue! It has "bright future" if and when the cruelty can be controlled! The history of this evil trade is littered by tragedies, atrocities and disasters. The slave trade promoters could have said the same thing! Fix the cruelty and the profits will continue! If something is inherently wrong and cruel, it must stop! The live exports industry is suspended for the moment, until it "improves"! Egypt is a third-world country suffering from overpopulation, conflicts and human rights abuses. How can uneducated peasants understand and have empathy for wild Australian cattle, and Australian standards of slaughter? Having conscious animals slaughtered is part of the Islamic code. The industry must end - this latest "incident" must put the nail into the coffin of an unconsciousable trade.

EndLiveExports (not verified)

Tue, 2013-05-07 08:57

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Where's the business ethics in the live export trade?

The revelations of atrocious and hideous animal abuse in Egypt is shameful for Australia. How many tragedies, incidents and ugly animal abuse must be revealed by Animals Australia before the industry is closed down? Money can't take precedence over ethics or morals. Another exposure must be the last. The dark side of humanity is exposed with relation to its treatment of animals, and our government is defending and indefensible. Where's the business ethics? Australia is sending live, wild animals to foreign third-world countries. We can't tell them what to do! The animals are being butchered live by peasant with no conscience or empathy. They are primitive and barbaric slaves. The supply chain assurance scheme has nothing to do with animal welfare - it's only administration. The point of slaughter means animals are exposed to the slashing of knives and cutting up of live animals! This barbaric and unconscionable trade is devoid of business ethics and morality, and must end.

Julia Gillard turns a cold shoulder to live export activists

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Twisted, callous arguments used to support live exports

"Australian" animals tortured in Egyptian abbatoirs

Live exports must end

Where's the business ethics in the live export trade?

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