Absolutely agree with Mr Bagaric, although given that citizens are sometimes required to give up their homes (with compensation) for the greater good, I don't see why the "industry" must be phased out. I can see the point of compensation - to some extent - but given that this is not a new issue, producers have been forewarned. They continue at their own risk. There is no reason why this trade should not stop immediately.

It is also a great pity that Mr Bagaric's concern for the suffering of animals isn't also extended to his fellow human beings. There is a certain irony in being against the suffering of animals but happy to inflict torture on people.

It is so easy for those who want to stop the live export trade to do so. All they have to do is put their money, not some one else's, where their mouth is.

They can attend the sales, buy the stock, pay for it to be slaughtered in Oz, then export the product. What could be simpler? Hell if it's such a good idea, they should make a quid at it. But no, not them, They definitely will not put their money at risk, just everyone elses.

Until Mirko & the rest of the noisy mob put up their own wealth, they will be nothing but a noisy bunch of slobs, trying to force their will on others, worthy of nothing but disgust.

Do gooders! Year right, provided every one else picks up the bill for their satisfaction.

Sheep can only be sold to middle east markets because of religious requirment that live sheep must have their throats cut. Well, what to do? Obviously we can;t afford to slaughter sheep humanely.
Money makes the economy go round and gives farmers their living.
So we must ignore the cruelty of packing thousands of animals in ships and then sending them to their fate....they are only animals after all. They are all at our mercy. And we put money before mercy....it was ever so. There are few signs that mankind is becoming more civilised....so despair those who imagined that we were.

Gawd, more city slickers commenting about an industry which they
simply don't understand and ignoring the objective data. Fact is
that sheep gain weight on the boats, so are much like a floating
feedlot. Do you plan to ban feedlots too now?

Sheep don't yet have Medicare in Australia, so around 5% die in
the paddocks each year, from dog attacks, flystrike, pneumonia,
snake bite and a host of other diseases and reasons. That adds up
to around 3 million a year, given our present sheep population.
That makes Mirko's figures take on a different light. 2% losses
in feedlots is considered normal. Pneumonia, refusal to eat,
acidosis, snake bite, all part of it.

In New Zealand, millions of new born lambs die due to cold
weather and storms. Should New Zealand now stop lamb production?

Australia is unable to ship mutton and lamb to many markets, due to
trade barriers. When will our city slicker friends get off their
butts and open up those markets? Right now our processors can't sell
the meat that they presently produce and rely on overseas workers
for labour, as Aussies don't want the jobs.

If you people really cared about animal welfare, you'd be doing
something about the hordes of wild dogs out there, originating
from Govt land, where they are out of control. They rip baby
calves to death and many sheep farmers have given up, due to the
losses. But no, we'll attack the live trade, as we can sit by
our computers, write a bit of nonsense and some people take it
seriously. The internet gives any fool the opportunity to promote
their views. The live trade debate is full of vegans, housewives and
now seemingly lawyers, who simply don't know their facts.

The facts are that the sheep farmers, are only interested in the monetry return. They care nothing of the barbaric cruelty those animals suffer, and Yabby you can BS all you want, but a broad church of the public do know the facts and are not happy with what is allowed in a so called civil society.

*but a broad church of the public do know the facts *

Well that is the whole point Kipp, they don't know the facts.
They have been sucked in by a bunch of vegans who generally know
nothing at all about livestock, the pet poodle or cat being their
limit of knowledge.

Qualified people are needed, not hysterical urban housewives.