Here's where I found the "Al Messilah" and the other reports - they are in pdf format

http://www.animalsaustralia.org/media/foi

I understand that AQIS has now agreed to publish all mortality reports on its website. There are others at www.liveexportshame.com back in 2002 and they include the "Becrux"; reading that it seems safe to assume that Tasmanian sheep would have figured in those mortalities, and the other reports there are silent but the some of ships loaded in Victoria so it is quite likely there was Tasmanian involvement there too. One report, on the "Norvantes" clearly indicates that the "independent third party veterinarian" had his own cattle in the shipment and he approved the ship to sail into a cyclone.

When the Department of Primary Industries and Water here was challenged about "leaking" the impending inspection of Pitts Poultry, (named under Parliamentary privilege by the Greens animal welfare spokesman) various threats were made regarding "being able to back up such accusations or else...". Meanwhile the General Manager in DPIW who also chairs the milk regulatory authority is overseeing the mass deaths of dairy cattle on a farm in the north west.

The advertisements for animals for export were in TasCountry, and I do not think they have a link or website. But Roberts or Elders websites may have some details
A0814

I don't have much to say that I haven't already mentioned on previous threads.

This post is simply to congratulate you Alex for bringing this heinous practice to readers' attention.

I urge people who care, like yourself, PALE and other animal welfare groups to continue raising this issue. I am sure many people are accessing these threads and even though they may not respond, they will at least learn the truth on how this country is governed by sadists whose only motive is profit.

A pox on all the barbarians!

Alex0814,
Thank you for you helpful post.
I am aware of Animals Australia and their tireless work. We are slightly different in our approach but it`s to the same end. For The Animals.
Umm AQIS- Well that’s nice however I think we have already established many times over we “cant trust” the Government with these figures or to tell the truth.

www.liveexportshame was started by a fantastic independent lady by the name of Dawn. I am unsure if she still has it but I know she still does excellent work.
Of course the Industry argue that all has been improved now and people like us are going on about rubbish.

Alex0814- May I tell you how we see it please. We see live exports growing and growing along with Intensive farming.
We can see that Governments and RSPCA will never stop it and have no intention of doing so.
We see its impossible to stop people world wide eating meat and I don’t think we have the right to ask them.
This may offend some including yourself but we see that Vegetarian groups[ no matter how well intended ]are used “against” main stream groups like us by the Industry and the Government by calling everybody extreme and gain the support of the public to take attention off the Animals.

WE wont ever fall into that trap. That’s why we are so vocal and go out of our way to show we are independent.
We also know the only way to turn this around is to bring in new players to the Industry.
They will have to be big players and not worried by some of the ruff and tuffle of some and their tricks already in the industry.

Ever heard of the saying- the bigger they are the harder they fall?
Our job is to put the cruel low lifes out of business.
The only way to do that is to open plants and use Gas and slaughter HERE as close to the paddock as possible. We are working on it but the others refuse to help.

Hi Dickie, and thank you for your kind words. You wonder if the politicians or their minders read this. I'm not sure what other threads you mean, but I guess there would be some here. I'll have a look. PALE - I'm also not sure what you mean about vegetarian groups. I'm not a member of any group, but the ones I know of, while the people who run them may be vegetarians or vegans, you can bet most of their members - upon whom they rely for support - aren't. I don't see Animals Australia telling people to be vegetarian or vegan, they seem to be pushing the frozen/chilled meat trade quite strongly. The same seems to be true of the Animal Liberation stuff I've read.
The RSPCA only goes as far as that - but it's very easy for the RSPCA to put position papers on their website and not do a whole lot more beyond that. I've just been reading some of their SA stuff about the pig farms; they got three employees sacked for whistleblowing.
As for GAS - in Tasmania, that isn't easy. I can't even get gas to my house despite the brand new pipeline being outside my back door. I did hear that the government did do something about making sure the meat processing companies got access to the "new" gas though. Probably the meat workers union would know. Tasmania is not the most progressive state, in so many ways. Through the most corrupt process in history in Australian politics we are about to get a pulp mill that no-one except Gunns and the Premier want.
Alex

I forgot - this article appeared in the Hobart Mercury last Monday.

Call for sheep death charges
Hobart Mercury 27.08.2007

Animal advocates are calling for charges to be laid against Tasmania’s Roberts Limited over the deaths of nearly 1700 sheep shipped from Tasmania last year.

An Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service report released last week found that Tasmanian sheep were unsuited to the heat and stress of equatorial crossings.

The ship “Al Messilah” left Devonport in February, and the report, obtained by Animals Australia under Freedom of Information found a series of problems on the carrier, including a lack of food and poor treatment of pink-eye disease.

While Roberts would not comment, Livecorp chief executive Cameron Hall said the outcome was “regrettable”.

Live Export Shame Tasmania spokeswoman Suzanne Cass said:

“There is no reason why live export companies should be able to escape their animal welfare responsibilities under the Animal Welfare Act and the Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock”.

(Ends)

I guess it says it all really. I do know that a number of breaches were reported at the wharf, but the authorities were too interested in dealing with the protest to take any notice. We told them that sick and injured sheep were on the trucks, amongst other things, and reported it all to the Minister afterwards. Some of the reports have been posted by someone at www.liveexportshame.com on their forum.

Alex.

Hello Dickie
Lovely to see you on this thread.
Perhaps Alex and yourself could post the story in last weeks paper on OLO under a new thread.
Call for etc etc
I agree its good to keep the subject going however I would really like to hand that over and make coments from time to time.
Facts are stories like this have been around for thirty years and live exports are growing.
Regarless of the good work done by people like Animals Australia and Suzzanne cazz the government and indusrty will never stop it.
I have told this to AA AL PACAT Voiceless PETA just to mention a few until I am blue in the face.
We have requested they help by supplying local info from the different states and greeting people from Saudi etc to introduce them to farmers direct!
Only by establishing a new company to the industry will we ever stop it.
Only by competing with these cruel operators and putting them out of business by advertsing humane slaughter with pre stunning and gas will we stop them.
To contiune to stand at the warfs is good- Its better than nothing.

However I dont think we can say we have got far in thirty years if you look at the growth of live exports.

Its time for the others to help us put the big boys out of business.
Action has always spoken loudr than words.

We need your help to acheive this because as you can imagine its a big job.
We have the contacts but its almost impossible if the others refuse to help.

If you really want to stop live exports please work with us meeting reps from overseas to open plants please!

For the Animals