It is tragic that hard working people are being destroyed .

The issue though is that the live export industry should not exist .

In fact, all animals for eating should be treated with respect. Not so long ago humans were eaten .

Animals should die in euphoria, possibly by gassing with C02 and the abatoir truck should go to the farm.

Maybe cost and extra 50cents a kilo ?

Best,

Ralph

"Maybe cost and extra 50cents a kilo?"

Well if that is the case most people probably wouldn't have a problem, however I have never seen any real data on costs. As out treatment of animals for food is a value judgment, this essential data is required before anyone can form an opinion.

From someone with a passing interest in this topic, thanks for a very informative article containing information that is not readily available through the mainstream media.

Given my primary interest is forestry, the behaviour of animal activists, the media, and politicians on this issue resonates with what has happened in regard to forests and forestry for several decades.

The activists always strive to paint the exception of bad practice as the rule and simply ignore the consequences of their agenda which, when international markets are involved, may be a a whole lot worse than the 'problem' they are narrowly striving to fix.

The media (particularly the ABC) is pre-disposed to report (particularly on environmental matters) from a sensational angle and is less interested in providing a balanced portrayal that could give readers and viewers the proper context and perspective, and so they effectively become campaign participants supporting the activists'agenda.

And the politicians react predictably with a view to the ballot box. If the activists/media cabal can create enough community outrage, the politicians run with it rather than stand-up for what they know is right. This then encourages activists to re-use the same tactics for the next issue on their agenda...... and on it goes with ENGOs now wealthy corporates in their own right creating careers whose overiding aim is to subvert Government policy regardless of how carefully it has been constructed by experts in the particular field.

...It's the "Mass Slaughter" these clown can't cope with, and nothing to do with "Mass Farming" in reality.
It is a modern development in abattoir factory killing which poses the problem to them. It disturbs their sensibilities in a way smaller abattoirs did not.

It's become clear that live animal export and animal welfare don't mix. If you go back to the roots of live animal export we find it's all about "halaL" meat for islamic countries. This is a very small export market compared to the potential export market for meat in China, where a growing middle class is frantic at the moment about food security, and don't require live animals to be exported.
Rather than continue supporting live animal export, there should be a federally and state government supported "industry assistance" package to build and equip new abbatoirs in northern Australia and export meat packaging and transport to China, as well as Federal government diplomatic efforts to secure the large Chinese market, and this should happen in tandem with a phase-out of live export.
PETA etc are extremists who want everyone to be vegetarian, but there is a sensible middle road here between animal welfare action and supporting the cattle and food export industries, at the same time providing more employment here in Australia.

Johnj, all sounds good, but unfortunately these are the wrong cattle for the China market.

The only alternative market is the US hamburger trade, which is already well served by Aussie exporters.

To process these cattle here, would simply be cutting off our nose to spite our face.

There is no easy fix, however the shock waves are now filtering down the line.