live exports

According to the RSPCA, since ESCAS was introduced, Israel's live export market has been the subject of numerous complaints regarding the treatment of Australian animals. Apart from inhumane loading and handling, abattoirs in Israel continue to use barbaric inversion slaughter boxes which rotate cattle upside-down to have their throats cut without stunning.

Hidden cameras set up by Animals Australia investigators have captured harrowing vision of routine abuse inside one of Israel’s biggest abattoirs. Just like Bakar Tnuva, (exposed in 2012), the Deir Al Asad slaughterhouse passed audits and was given the ‘tick of approval’ by live exporters and the Australian Government.

This must be incredibly painful, and terrorizing for the animals, but now, footage from the Dabaah abattoir has revealed even more appalling treatment at the point of slaughter.

Australian cattle that have just been attacked in what's crudely called "slaughter" are staggering onto the kill-room floor with their throats gaping open, to be eventually hoisted while still conscious. Workers are seen twisting and breaking their tails to make it easier for them to attach the hoisting shackles.

This abattoir is deemed compliant with every single requirement of ESCAS by the exporter-appointed auditor. Australia is compliant to this torture by supplying the animals!

When Animals Australia investigator visited Vietnamese abattoirs last month, he witnessed what Australian cattle who commonly fall ‘outside the system’ are subjected to. It is the same fate suffered by local cattle as well as those imported from other countries when they are slaughtered in the ‘traditional method’: A frightened bull is marched onto a blood soaked kill floor. He is restrained tightly by a rope around his neck. A slaughterman stands before him wielding a sledgehammer!

In 2013, the first video evidence showing Australian cattle being hit with sledgehammers was provided to the Department of Agriculture by a concerned member of the public. But instead of halting live cattle exports at that time, the industry chose to rapidly expand the trade and increase market share in Vietnam.

It's unconscious-able that our government fully supports this evil trade. We've had sledgehammer attacks, sheep buried alive, and every atrocity imaginable, but the live export trade continues.

While profits benefits producers, and Australia's economy, any industry built on such horrendous animal abuse and abandonment of ethnics is completely unacceptable, and must end.

PETITION: Ban live exports
banliveexport.com

My email to Minister of Agriculture: The Hon. Mr Barnaby Joyce, Jan 14th, 2014

Dear Hon. Mr Barnaby Joyce, Minister for Agriculture

A vet has voiced fears for any sheep being transported and held on live export ships at Fremantle Port as the mercury heads for potential record levels.

Temperatures have nudged 50 degrees near Onslow and Exmouth at the end of last week with a mass of warm air heating over the Pilbara. While you might be safely in air conditioned offices, there are sentient creatures who won't be so comfortable. Perth is warned to brace for extreme temperatures on the weekend as hot air from the Pilbara sweeps down over the city.

Livestock Shipping Services (LSS) vessel the Bader III is currently docked at Fremantle Port, but its export manager Paul Keenam said on Friday he did not know when the ship was due to leave port or if sheep would be transported by road on Saturday. The sheep won't be able to control their body temperatures, and suffer heat stress.

Vets against Live Animal Exports spokeswoman Heather Cambridge said she had studied heat stress in animals in detail and that if there was a ship holding animals in port, heatwave conditions could prove fatal. Dr Cambridge said animals at most risk were those loaded on a ship, but animals on the lower levels of trucks would also be in danger of suffering heat stress.

North Queensland Land Register: Fears for export sheep in heatwave

Animals shipped live from Australia can be confined on vessels for up to three weeks – that is 504 consecutive hours. High temperatures and poor ventilation can contribute to fatal heat stroke in cattle, particularly in those breeds whose physiology is ill-suited to hot climates. Sheep have shown a clear aversion to ammonia from their waste, and tests have shown that it adversely affects the welfare of steers.

The Cormo Express left Fremantle (Western Australia) for Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) carrying 57,937 sheep in 2003. Built in 1979 as a ‘roll-on-roll-off’ ferry, the Cormo Express had been converted to an 11-deck animal transporter in 1989. En route to Jeddah, 1.1% of the cargo (637 sheep) died. On arrival in the heat of Jeddah on 21st August, the shipment was rejected by Saudi authorities who claimed 6% of the animals suffered from ‘scabby mouth’. After almost 11 weeks at sea in extreme temperatures and humidity, one in ten, some 5,692 animals had died, mostly from heat stress and exhaustion while simply waiting in ports to be unloaded.

(Photo the property of liveexportshame.com)

21,000 Australian sheep sent to Pakistan have been killed en masse in the most brutal way. Workers stabbed and clubbed the harmless sheep and even buried them alive in the same pits dug for the dead sheep. This happened after weeks stuck on a ship in sweltering heat ... and then being confined in mud-filled pits with hardly any access to water and food and barely enough room to lie down.

One can only imagine the suffering these animals have endured while slowly dying due to illness, starvation,trampling or heat stress. The vast majority die in their crowded pens without any aid or treatment.

Despite efforts made by both the Australian Government and the live export industry to regulate the export process, tens of thousands of animals continue to die every year while being exported. (and they're said to be the "lucky ones"!)

Our government is under heavy pressure from wealthy and very effective lobby groups, like the live export industry. It's based on cruel monetary gain and selfish profits. It's devoid of compassion and ethics and is a shameful for Australia. Why not listen to the vets? These animals will suffer and die! There are more values in society than simply $$$$.

Email for Minister Barnaby Joyce: [email protected]

They have no policies on economic growth, education, economic reform, taxes, workers, health, jobs, senior Australians, immigration, asylum seekers, Aboriginal affairs, globalisation or Australian businesses. Their clients are the animals we share our society with. They are the farm animals, wildlife, pets and working animals.

Policy coming soon on the environment, and one needed on population.

The Animal Justice Party

The Animal Justice Party was formed as a response to growing public concern about the neglect of animals and animal protection issues by political parties. Its aim is to give a voice to those who cannot speak for themselves - animals. It will provide a focal point for voters frustrated by the lack of political action and who feel strongly that much more needs to be done through our parliamentary systems to assist the wellbeing of animals.

The members see that there is a need for laws and processes which recognise animals’ needs and capabilities which protect their interests, whether they are domestic, farmed or wild. The Animal Justice Party will also ensure such laws and processes are properly enforced and implemented to achieve genuine justice for animals.

Members of the AJP believe that animal cruelty is an unfortunate and all-too-common feature of Australian society that must come to an end. Several non-government organisations have been tackling animal welfare issues at ground level from various perspectives to-date, however there’s an immediate urgency to bring much-needed influence to this agenda from a government policy dimension.

Charter

The Animal Justice Party has been established to give voice to those who have none – to pursue the vital issues of animal protection through the Australian Parliamentary System by:

• Encouraging the adoption of animal-friendly policies by other political parties
• Demonstrating that voters care about animal issues by contesting elections
• Educating the electorate about the animal policies of candidates from other political parties.

The Animal Justice Party values the lives of all beings, human and non-human. It views animal lives as having an importance beyond the simple biophysical, and as deserving of our respect, kindness and understanding. The AJP does not see the value in animal lives as being determined by perspectives on consciousness, human utility, or the narrow quantitative determinism of much science and conservation.

The AJP recognises that many governments, institutions and individuals do not appreciate that living beings of all kinds have lives of meaning in their own right.

Live Exports

The Animal Justice Party stands 100% against the live export of our animals to other countries beyond the reach of our laws and our influence. Once again we see horrific cruelty to Australian animals.

The AJP have asked the Minister responsible for live exports, Joe Ludwig, to resign after the latest expose from two abattoirs in Egypt. Under our Westminster system, he is responsible for these atrocities, and must take responsibility. We are also looking at our legal options. We have laws against animal cruelty, and it seems that putting animals on board a ship where there is a good chance they are going to be subjected to trauma and distress is a breach of those laws. 

This is another example of the Government's failure, lack of care, and that you will be voting for the Animal Justice Party rather than Labor. 

AJP's plan is to get rid of anyone in Government who would inflict such cruelty on animals. The current opposition are no better on this, in fact, they may be worse!

Just a few days ago Julie Bishop promised to apologise... to Indonesia, and resume the live export trade at full speed if the Coalition win the elections. If an apology is due, it is to the animals who suffer and die needlessly under this cruel policy. 

Kangaroo Slaughter in the ACT

For a number of years the current territory government has been slaughtering Kangaroos in an ugly cull. The minister for the environment and speaker, The Greens Shane Rattenbury MLA, is part of the government that authorises these culls - despite the Green's "animal welfare" policies. The AJP are doing everything in their power to lobby The Greens and the ACT government to halt this slaughter. Through the political process, they can apply a unique kind of pressure to sitting politicians, and we hope to put an end to this disgusting and unnecessary practice. 

Farming

Over concern about the way intensive (factory) ‘farming’ adversely impacts upon the well being and welfare of each individual animal in such establishments, the Brambell Committee of the UK Farm Animal Welfare Council developed a list of five freedoms which all animals these animals have a right, supported by most  animal protection organizations around the world including advisory councils such as the Farm Animal Welfare Council which advises the EU and British Parliaments.

They are:
1.Freedom from thirst, hunger and malnutrition – by ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour.
2.Freedom from discomfort – by providing a suitable environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.
3.Freedom from pain, injury and disease – by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment.
4.Freedom to express normal behaviour – by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animals own kind.
5. Freedom from fear and distress – by ensuring conditions that avoid mental suffering.

The Animal Justice Party supports these five freedoms and believes that these must also apply to the transport, handling during transport, lairage and slaughter of animals. While slaughter of animals for food remains lawful, animals that can not be killed by gunshot or captive bolt stunning ‘on farm’ must be transported the shortest distance possible to the abattoir.

Federal elections

The Animal Justice Party (AJP) will be fielding 10 candidates including 6 women, for the Senate in the September Federal Election in a bid to ban live export. According to Animal Justice Party: “We are opposed to the live export trade, as are the majority of the Australian people. The fact that the major political parties ignore the people’s well formed opinion is staggering.”

“If the government will not get rid of live export, the people will get rid of the government. That the opposition leader, Mr Abbott, has promised to expand the industry and apologise for suspending it shows callous disregard for both the animals and the electorate,” said Animal Justice Party.

“The Gillard Government’s own self-acclaimed livestock export monitoring system has now been shown to be completely useless, as we all expected it would be. It’s time Minister Ludwig resigned. Its time these major parties put the well-being of animal lives ahead of losing votes in certain sectors of the country and bowing to a ruthless industry.”

Rallies, emails, letters, public outcry are all to little avail and the numerous “incidents” keep shocking the caring public.

Please join the Animal Justice Party. Download the membership form, make a cheque out and mail to
Download membership form
Animal Justice Party
PO Box 1010
Strawberry Hills, NSW, 2012
Direct transfer (Please email [email protected] for details)
 
Best wishes to all,
Professor Steve Garlick
President
Animal Justice Party of Australia

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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Tell Julia Gillard to end live export