Belly, I agree with you, Joe Ludwig is under immense pressure, now
that the hysterical housewives have joined in. All credit to Animals
Australia for stage managing an effective show, as part of their
campaign. To me this whole debate has nothing to do with liberal
or labour, but with finding effective win win solutions where reason
prevails. Eventually that will happen.

A campaign and publicity stunt it certainly is. AA have critised
Ludwig for taking a week to stop shipments to Indonesia, yet they
have sat on that footage for months, as they prepared their campaign.

Elders apparently operate a meatworks in Indonesia, where they
use the latest Western methods, with a capacity of over 20'000 head
per year. They wern't shown in the documentary, it was designed to
shock, not to inform.

IMHO Livecorp are still showing bad judgement and they need some
new talent there. Roll out 50 or 60 works with stun guns immediately
and track cattle as they now do in Egypt, then your problem is solved.
In fact Livecorp should have learnt from the Egypt story, so they do
carry their share of the blame.

Anyhow, the solution is clear. Introduce better animal welfare practises in the third world where we ship, so that there is a win
win outcome for all, including the animals.

The organization that did the initial filming of the cattle in Indonesia is called Animals Australia. Their interests go far beyond the complete banning of all live exports.

Below is a page from their website showing the issues as they see them.
For example, they want all companion animals desexed, except for registered breeders. Caged birds to be banned, which means no canaries or budgies. They seek protection for feral animals such as foxes, feral cats, camels, donkeys, rabbits, Indian minor birds, cane toads, rats and mice. They say we brought them here so we should accept responsibility for their welfare. Of course they want rodeos and horse racing banned. Seems they promote the use of non dairy products and vegetarian lifestyle.

Might pay to check them out before supporting. They may be far more than what they seem.

http://www.animalsaustralia.org/issues/

Banjo, you are quite correct, some of the AA stuff is off the
planet stuff, away with the fairies. For instance they think that
we should not rip rabbit warrens, whilst there are any rabbits
present :)

I think thats why they are riding on the RSPCA coattails on this
issue, ie to gain public credibility. In the past on OLO,
some AA fans did nothing but criticise the RSPCA.

That is really why I started this thread. AA have been on about the
live trade for years, Lyn White keeps busy with her little camera,
has done so for years. But the RSPCA usually never got involved
in their campaigns. There is a difference between animal welfare
and animal liberation. It seems to me that slowly parts of the
RSPCA are being invaded my vegans and in my eyes the RSPCA is losing
credibility because of it.I used to donate to them, not anymore.

Yabby <"Joe Ludwig is under immense pressure, now
that the hysterical housewives have joined in. "

Where is your proof it is 'hysterical housewives' who are pushing this barrow Yabby?

Aren't most of the politicians in the Labour Party that banned live animal exports today male? Are you suggesting they are easily influenced by housewives, hysterical or otherwise?
They never were before, so why should they start now?

I really don't see how these animal welfare groups could have videoed this sort of atrocity without having the truth in front of the cameras?

It is truly disgusting, and I am glad they banned all live animal exports for now - as long as they keep it banned until we have absolute ongoing proof of more humane treatment for the animals at the end of their voyage.

Societies that allow animals to be treated cruelly are truly backward.

Yes it was not nice viewing, will the same people be up at the ranches where all these cattle will end up. You know as well as I do that these farms are not going to support all the cows. Will we see pictures of these animals slowly starving which will be caused by these so called animal rights activists.

Does anyone remember Kerry O'Brien? And I don't mean ABC Kerry but the former Shadow Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Forestry from 10.12.06 to 3.12.07.

As Shadow spokesperson about Agriculture, O'Brien made a comment to a journalist about the ALP considering banning live exports prior to Election 07, only to be gagged by his own party.

The cruelty issues around live exports has been known for some time. It is not a secret that much more needed to be done despite all the bull-derdash (pun intended) about better health care onboard ship, more vets etc during the Howard era.

One day we will look back and wonder why it was ever allowed in the first place.