Question Time

LIVE ANIMAL EXPORTS

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS (15:15): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries a question regarding livestock exports.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS: The federal Labor member for Makin, Mr Tony Zappia MP, recently wrote an opinion piece in the Advertiser criticising live cattle exports and those involved in the industry. He stated in his article:

What is clear is the live export trade has been driven by industry self-interest and self-regulation.

Further on he said, 'the live export trade is solely profit motivated'. These comments have been made about one of the most important agricultural sectors, not only in this state but throughout our country. Knowing a large number of individuals involved in this industry, I can say categorically that the respect and care they pay to the animals they farm in Australia is truly remarkable, which makes the following comment from the Labor member for Makin an even bigger slap in the face to them:

...the live export trade is sustainable only if it can demonstrate animal welfare outcomes acceptable to the Australian community.

The live export trade is inescapably dependent on animal welfare. Every sick, dead or dying animal costs the industry money. Accordingly, exporters invest massively in the health and wellbeing of animals in transit. Furthermore, animals that suffer cruel drawn-out deaths produce inferior meat, which makes for an unsatisfactory eating experience. This has always acted as the most powerful safety net in the protection of animals from inhumane livestock practices, even in slaughter. My questions to the minister are:

1. Does the Weatherill Labor government support the continuation and prosperity of the live cattle and sheep export industry?

2. As the Minister for Agriculture, will she confirm that the vast majority of sheep and cattle producers and exporters in South Australia uphold high standards of animal health and welfare?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the Status of Women) (15:17): I thank the honourable member for his most important question and I absolutely concur that the majority of our livestock industry is absolutely committed to the current standards, and in fact many of them operate in a way that far exceeds those standards, and that is because the livestock are their life, their future.

Many of them involve families and they want to establish their properties and farms to be able to hand on to their children and grandchildren, so they are there for the long haul. They are not there just to make a quick buck, and therefore most look after their livestock extremely well. It is most unfortunate that recently in the press we have seen some graphic media coverage and footage of some horrific things occurring in some other countries. I think every Australian was appalled watching that film footage, and it caused a huge national—in fact, international—reaction.

Those animal welfare issues continue to cause concern. Although I am advised that no cattle are exported from South Australian ports to Indonesia, there were obviously economic and supply chain impacts from the response, particularly of Indonesia, as a result of the suspension of trade. It has now resumed, but at a much slower rate. The commonwealth government has accepted all the farmer review recommendations for the future regulation of Australia's livestock export industry. The government has also accepted all recommendations made in the reports of the cattle and sheep industry government working groups on live exports.

The new regulatory framework is being implemented in stages, with 100 per cent of the trade to be covered by the end of 2012. Under the framework, Australian exporters will need to ensure that animals will be handled and processed at or better than the internationally accepted standards for animal welfare established by the OIE, that they have control of the movement of animals within their supply chain, that they can trace or account for animals through the supply chain and that they can conduct independent verification and performance audits of their supply chains against these new requirements.

It should be noted that South Australian livestock, sheep and goats are all tagged with property of origin and SA meets the Australian government standards for live export. The next major steps in the review of the livestock export industry are reviews, now underway, of the Australian standards for the export of livestock and the role and function of the Livestock Export Standards Advisory Group. These reviews will be overseen by a national steering committee and are to include participants from the commonwealth, state and territory governments, the veterinary profession and animal welfare groups. As I said, a thriving livestock industry in South Australia uses—

The Hon. J.S.L. Dawkins: So, you disagree with Mr Zappia then?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: What I am outlining are the standards that are the response to the problems that have been identified. The Jay Weatherill government accepts that these are appropriate responses and we are pleased to participate in the forums and at the levels that I have outlined to help ensure that we have a more rigorous animal welfare system in place and to ensure greater adherence to that. That is what the Jay Weatherill government supports.