Gertrude, the minister does not have to be a control freak, to
control the industry. If an exporter does not comply with the
established rules, they lose their export license.

As it happens, MLA had already started to role out their stun
gun programme, with now 10 establishments equipped. MLA
concedes and is developing new humane knock boxes, to replace
the old ones.

Major exporters have already stated that their supply chains
will be using stun guns, some were already before this latest
kerfuffle broke out. IMHO they will all be moving to use them,
as they make good sense.

30 animal welfare officers have been trained and will be checking
on those works where Australian cattle will be slaughtered.

Given that a dozen works in Australia don't use stun guns,
its a bit rich at this time to try to force the Indonesians
to do the same. But that is the way that the whole system
is going and it is in both the animals and industries interests
that it will happen.

I think we'll see some major improvements at the point of slaughter
in the third world and that has to be a good thing. The notion
that only Australian can do it right, is a little bit racist

Lyn White - cattle will continue to suffer
http://www.abc.net.au/rural/news/content/201107/s3263513.htm

Thursday, 07/07/2011

It was vision recorded by Animals Australia's Lyn White which ultimately led to the suspension of trade a month ago.

She says cattle will continue to suffer unless stunning is made mandatory.

"I'm obviously very disappointed that stunning hasn't been made mandatory in the reopening of the trade, because the major cattle producers, the RSPCA and Animals Australia were completely on the same page with that," she said.

"So it's only the government that's now suggesting that it's acceptable for cattle to still have their throats cut whilst fully conscious."

Yabby

Glenyse can try to claim this as a victory if she wishes but Lyn is correct & those 30 blokes they are training up in ten days have been there ten years!

DAN ZIFFER
THE STEVE VIZARD SHOW
MELBOURNE TALK RADIO

http://www.mtr1377.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6938&Itemid=43

Ah Gertrude, but of course you and Lyn are behind the times.

We reached a protocol of international standards with Indonesia, which
is as it should be. But the Minister can put his own terms in
the export licences issued to exporters. That came from some
of the vets involved in the whole thing.

So now you can sleep soundly knowing that Australian cattle
will be treated humanely, it will only be third world cattle
which will be tortured, because animal activists refuse to help
in lobbying for decent equipment to be installed, using some
of the 4 billion of development aid which we all fund. So be it.

@ Kerryanne:

Perhaps I was being overly optimistic. I wasn't really paying much attention to Rudd when he was talking about it on TV this morning, but I got the impression that there is going to be strict enforcement of humane slaughtering methods. I suppose to some extent it depends what you mean by 'humane'.

My own view is that pre- stunning should be a mandatory requirement both here and in Indonesia for animals that are to be slaughtered by having their throats cut for whatever reason. However, we can't coherently argue for it to be mandatory in Indonesia while it isn't here - that would be hypocritical in the extreme. It seems to me that the Government has some urgent regulatory work to do to make pre-stunning mandatory in all Australian abattoirs where ritual slaughtering occurs. Mind you, I can't see that being all that difficult with sufficient will - as Yabby says, pre-stunning makes sense.

morganzola,

Hi, Must admit i was surprised- fyi do u have the inquiry online forms? Kerry
http://livexports.com/petition/results.php
http://blog.animaldoctors.com.au/2011/06/live-export-ban-please-join-petition.html

Last night the Government announced it would impose new conditions on live animal exports to Indonesia, and lift the moratorium put in place last month.

Bad news first: sadly, the international standards the Government has announced do not mandate stunning of animals before slaughter.

Now the good news: the Government has also committed to supply chain assurance, which means that each animal exported will be tagged so they can be tracked from the farm to the abattoir.

If we can convince all the exporters to do the same, we can ensure that no Australian cattle are exported to facilities that don't stun animals.

Can you can take a moment to write to cattle exporters today?

www.getup.org.au/exportpledge

Many exporters have already expressed their shock..

Let's act together to call on Australian companies to promise Australians they will only send their cattle to facilities which use stunning.

The Australian Government and the cattle industry know the community will not tolerate that kind of cruelty ...

Let's call on industry to pledge to Australians that cattle will only be sent to abattoirs where that stun before slaughter:

www.getup.org.au/exportpledge

Over the past weeks, over 245,000 Australians have joined together in this campaign to end the cruel treatment of Australian cattle in Indonesian abattoirs. Together we've created the biggest petition in Australian history, and a huge storm in Parliament House. Yesterday's announcement may be disappointing but.. stun animals.

With hope,
the GetUp Team.

PS - RSPCA and Animals Australia are continuing their campaign too. To join, go to www.banliveexports.com.au.
________________________________________

SM
I always know when someone is insecure about their own position when their contributions include ad hominem attacks.

You are talking about a specific breed of cattle bred for export which is then eaten by Indonesian consumers. It is the same meat whether it arrives refrigerated and processed or live.

Live exports have already decreased due to the Indonesian Government wishing to support local beef producers as is their right, this is already a bone of trade contention between the two countries. When will people realise that free trade is not free when other countries can start dictating to others about what they can and cannot import/export, especially when they have to compete with variations in government subsidies, governance and other regulations. Indonesia is a poor country and could benefit from investing in local production.

http://www.crikey.com.au/2011/06/01/live-exports-ban-a-threat-to-delicate-trade-dispute/

A commentator recently said the beef could be processed onshore and shipped or sold to Australian consumers. The meat industry said the supply of meat would push prices down yet at the same time insist that free trade results in cheaper meat for consumers. Something of which Australian consumers have known to be a furphy for some time.

A ban on live exports could be done with a gradual phasing out as proposed by Xenophon and Wilkie.