Prior to the election, then Opposition Agriculture spokesman Senator Kerry O'Brien stated on the ABC's "Landline" program that the ALP would be looking to ban the live export trade if public concern about animal welfare could not be addressed, adding that he received more correspondence on this issue than any other. Predictably enough, he was immediately attacked by the farmers' lobby groups, especially in WA, where it was claimed that it would be a "catastrophe". O'Brien substantially diluted his position before the election, excluding the cattle trade to South East Asia from his policy statement.

Many voters did not trust O'Brien, and voted Green, and the ALP was successful in many seats on the back of the Greens' preferences. The Greens have stated animal welfare policies which include a ban on the export of live animals.

Senator O'Brien was dumped immediately after the election in favour of Tony Burke, who has stated his "strong support" for the live export trade. Have we elected a government that stands by animal cruelty, because there is no "industry" more cruel than this one.

Kevin Rudd needs to stop hiding in the post-election euphoria, and provide a proper policy statement on this issue.
Penny

Hi Penny01
Good to see someone else getting involved! Kevin Tudd can now say that Senator O'Brien was expressing his own opinions only on "Landline", and the government is not committed to any of Senator O'Brien's promises. The fact that he was shafted so quickly suggests that this is what is happening, because Rudd was full of support for farmers prior to the election. Also, between the "Landline" program and the election, O'Brien weakened his position quite considerably, no doubt in the face of a concerted backlash from the farming lobby. In WA, it was claimed that a ban on live exports would be "catastrophic".

Where the ALP has a potential weakness on this, of course, is through the AMIEU (Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union), and the fact that its latest Hassall Report claims that the live export industy supports "13,000 jobs". If you read the report (I got it from the MLA website), you will see that it includes such irrelevant jobs as doctors, dentists, hospitality workers and similar nonsense, and other jobs that would exist without the export of animals - vets, transporters, government, Port Authority, banking, and insurance industry staff. Take away those sectors and you aren't left with much at all, yet the AMIEU claims that 40,000 meat workers jobs have been lost as a direct result of live exports. That is compounded by a domino effect in rural and regional communities where meat processing was the only, or the major employer.

I understand that the chiefs of the AMIEU in WA (Graeme Haynes) and Tasmania (Grant Courtney) have done quite a lot of work on this. Maybe we should ask Rudd about his commitment to THOSE "working families".

All the best
Nicky

"Have we elected a government that stands by animal cruelty, because there is no "industry" more cruel than this one."

Yes we have Penny. However, both governments, Liberal and Labor are despicable. Both are endorsing the abominably cruel treatment of Australia's livestock.

Candidates for parliament generally make promises in line with party policy and Rudd's ethics-free failure to grant O'Brien the portfolio, requires investigation.

I have have had discussions with my Federal Liberal member over live exports and subsequently written to him where I included graphic photographs of the handling, slaughter and mayhem our animals must endure. I did not receive a response and this hypocrite continues to occupy a seat in the House of Reps.

The member publicly promised on the ABC that if he had evidence of animal cruelty, his party would ban live exports.

This is what we are up against and I was sufficiently naive to believe O'Brien's promise would be implemented.

I make no apology for my emotive language when I say we are up against liars and sadists who would love to reprimand us with:

"It's the economy stupid!"

I sincerely trust you will continue your endeavours on OLO. We thank you for that and we intend to raise this issue throughout 2008 to ensure that the public are better informed of the heinous cruelty perpetrated on Australia's live exports.

Two replies seem to indicate that I'm not the only person who has given this some thought. The Liberals never made any secret of their support for this brutality, through that deplorable mouthpiece McGauran, and the communications I have sent to Rudd, Gillard, and Burke (several of them) have drawn not a single response.

They seem to forget that they would have won some votes on what Kerry O'Brien said, and also on the basis of Greens' preferences, because the Greens have clearly articulated animal welfare policies including a ban on live exports. So how do we get these people to respond? The newly elected members all around where I am were sent all of AA's material (reports and photos and DVDs), and none of them responded either.

The way I can see it becoming an issue of national significance is all the allusions to "working families". The AMIEU reckons that 40,000 jobs have been lost in that industry as a result of live exports, so what about those "working families", especially in areas where meat processing was the only employer or the biggest one. Interestingly, they have made no commitments to families where there is no-one working.

Maybe Animals Australia has a way of proceeding from here. They are appealing for donations to help fund another Middle East investigation, so I'll happily contribute to that. Lyn White is amazing, I couldn'd do that; I found watching the video almost impossible, especially when that poor South American bull was beaten and stabbed to death, and the camel. The point is, how much evidence do they need before they stop believing Livecorp's propaganda?

But we really need to get to the bottom of why O'Brien was dumped. He also did some good stuff in Senate Estimates hearings on live exports so maybe that was his downfall.

Penny

I'm a little reluctant to post potential strategies on OLO for halting live exports.

However, in future months, I intend to send a carbon copy to the media for publication, for every piece of correspondence I send to MP's.

The relative silence of workers in WA is possibly a result of the resource boom - nearly everyone has a job. However, all booms come to an end, so does a worker's employment. That is when communities will wonder where all the abattoirs went.

Live animal exporters claim that additional abattoirs could not find workers however, that too is a myth since Australia operates a Visa 457 to permit temporary workers to enter the Australian workforce to fill the vacancies.

I confess though I am not up to date with that part of the meat industry and you may be able to enlighten me further.

Slaughtering is a violent act. There is no way to air-brush the stark realities, however, if slaughtering in Australia can halt the despicable live animal exports, then our animals' suffering will be less intense.

Penny01
Its good to see another decent humane being just as outraged by the barbaic Treatment of our own Australian Animals.
Did the ALP Lie- Funny As. Is the pope a catholic? Do pollies lie full stop.?
Despite everything the Australian Government has NO intention of banning live exports.
That much ought to be as clear as mud to all by now.

Yup we can give them a hard time. We can use ALL our energy encouraging the public to write letters sign petitions and contact radio talk shows[ Which are monitered to protect the industry BTW]

Animal Groups can ask for donations[ Including RSPCA who have a MOU with State Governments department of DPI ]to take care of the live export and trucking transport and other complaints.

Dont get me wrong RSPCA do a great deal of good for dometic Animals and lets face it- How can 84 people control the whole of Australia.
There are only 84 RSPCA Inspectors Australia Wide- Its impossible given millions of intensive farm animals and live export animals alike are involved.

Thats leaving off any conflict of interest and addressing the fact their CEOs are employed by way of contract through RSPCA Nation whom do receive federal Government funding.

Of course we can donate to AA- Animals Australia and the many other hard working groups out there. Yes and we should I guess but is is really the answer?
Lyn White is great. You will get no argument there.
Yet is it really wise to advertsise you are intending to do a investigation?

Now dont bite my head off please thats not an anti AA comment but an attempt to see how we may improve things.

We have had enquires which BTW cost the public Millions over the last twenty years.We have had the 60 minutes- The RSPCA fund raisers the AA fund raisers the petitions the letters- and yet the cruel live trade has doubled and then some.

There is bit only one way to stop it.