Sheeps Of Shame

Thousand Aussie jobs are exported by the live export industry.
For thirty years Australian meatworkers have been picketing ships and wharves in an effort to protect their livelihoods from the live sheep export trade.

Two recent abattoir closures in NSW have been directly attributed to the trade.

"Live sheep exports have had their day," says Australian Meat Industry Employees Union (AMIEU) Federal secretary Tom Hannan. "There's no sensible reason for them to continue."

"They're exporting Aussie jobs," says Hannan. "This is only going to benefit a few greedy Ship owners. The torment, cruelty and inhuman practices are just not worth it. They're giving Australia a bad name."

Hannan told Workers Online that Australia possessed fully trained abattoir staff accredited by the Islamic Council of Australia that fulfilled the Halal requirements of the Middle Eastern market.

4000 abattoir jobs have disappeared through live sheep exports.

In a bizarre twist media reports have suggested that Canberra is set to give the sheep adrift in the Persian Gulf to Iraq under a secret deal worth $10 million.

The foreign flagged Cormo Express is yet to unload its cargo of 53 000 Australian sheep.

The RSPCA vowed to stop the trade of live animals and animal rights protesters barricaded a Portland feedlot stalling the loading of 28,000 sheep bound for Kuwait.

Govt Abandons Mudgee Meatworkers

Meanwhile Craig Emerson - Shadow Minister for Workplace Relations has called upon the Minister for Workplace Relations, Tony Abbott, to guarantee that unpaid employee entitlements resulting from the closure of the Mudgee Regional Abattoir will be covered by his General Employee Entitlements and Redundancy Scheme (GEERS).

"Maybe the only hope for the workers of the Mudgee Regional Abattoir is if one of them turns out to be the brother or close relative of their local member and Deputy Prime Minister, John Anderson," says Emerson. "Perhaps then the Howard Government will pay them the money they are owed."

United Services Union is providing its members who have lost their jobs at the Mudgee Abattoir with food parcels and other assistance following the local government owned abattoir's collapse

The AMIEU (WA Branch) joined hundreds of thousands of workers throughout Australia, in the first of many actions, designed to focus public attention on the the Howard Government's anti- worker anti-family Industrial Relations legislation. Whatever it takes - the Australian Union movement will not rest until this rotten legislation is consigned to the rubbish bin of history.

Live Animal Export Protest - Parliament House
The AMIEU joined forces with the People Against Cruelty of Animal Transport (P.A.C.A.T.) in a protest on the steps of Parliament House about the excessive cruelty of the live animal export trade and the disasterous effect this obnoxious trade has had on the job security of thousands of meat workers employed
in abattoirs in Western Australia.

voice their anger.

The Live Export shipping companies are only interested in short term profits as they scan the globe for for the cheapest source
of live cargo for their clients - they have no long term commitment to Australian farmers and often use "flags of convenience" ships crewed with exploited cheap labour -
workers on one ship that recently docked in Fremantle
had not been paid for over seven months!

It is only when their unrestricted activities lead to the demise of the Australian Meat Processing industry and the last
remaining abattoirs are forced to close will many consumers
and farmers alike, realize the strangle-hold they have on
our pastoral industry. When farmers are offered a
"take it or leave it " price for their stock and consumers
are left no option but to purchase Australian meat products processed overseas for inflated prices and of
questionable quality

it will be too late

Let your member of parliament know how you feel and how you intend to vote at the next election
if they fob you off!!
The Federal Government have responsibility for all
exports out of Australia and as such could easily
pass legislation that would regulate and
control this obnoxious trade!!

Live Exports - what the papers are saying!

Interested in seeing how the press are reporting this disgusting trade?

If so click her

It was one of those times when I thought my ears were playing tricks on me. How could someone so alive and vital be dead?

I haven't been a big fan of Steve Irwin's, found his methodology questionable, so I surprised myself at my tears. No matter my personal preferences Steve was sincere, passionate and believed in himself. The world has lost someone of great integrity.

We need his postive energy, too many seek reasons why we can't improve or progress, Steve simply set out to do what he believed in.

I grieve for his family and wish them all the power they will need for the future.

There ARE alternatives to the way we currently treat animals, we can create win/win situations for farmers, the environment and ourselves. The naysayers gain their power by being listened to; time to tune them out. Steve Irwin hasn't gone his energy is still in the universe all we have to do is tap into it.

Wendy - your post on "abuse of animals' thread regarding farmed chickens was as informative as it was upsetting. The more we support independent farmers who use humane methods the more the big-time producers will lose out.

Long term planning = long term gain.

"When farmers are offered a
"take it or leave it " price for their stock and consumers
are left no option but to purchase Australian meat products processed overseas for inflated prices and of
questionable quality"

Once again, much misinformation being posted Wendy!
IIRC, something like 93% of cattle and 88% of sheep
are processed locally, so the dreamed up claims
are humbug.

The trade is certainly no threat to WA meatworkers, given
that local abattoirs can't find people to fill jobs now.
The WA economy, with its booming resources sector, cannot
be compared to the ES.

Right now, the live trade offers a real option to the
"take it or leave it" approach by local processors.

If Govts wanted to, they could remove payroll taxes,
various stamp duties and other charges they impose on
the local processing industry.

Bankrupting even more farmers, to satisfy the whimsical
claims of a few city slickers, is not an option

Scout what a beautiful sentiment..'his energy is still in the universe'..I felt instantly a little better when I realised that you were right..I cried for him too..but couldnt really pin point why, except to say he was a wonderful human who just lived his passion in spite of the knockers..a lot of whom were Australian.

But the Aussies will never out grow that cultural cringe..Id like to believe one day we can be appropriately be proud of our shining stars and what they mean for our country.

For those who haven't seen it.

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