HANSARD
SITTING CALENDAR
SEARCH
LIVE BROADCAST
Hansard Dynamic Subject Index
Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2018-05-16 Daily Xml
Contents
Pdf Xml

Live Sheep Export

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (15:53): I rise to speak about the live export industry. I do so noting that today the federal government has ruled out a ban on the live export industry. I do so, though, knowing that the support to end this industry, to find an exit strategy for this industry, continues to grow and grow. I reflect on just a few weeks ago, early May, when I stood on the steps of this parliament with members of the Labor Party and members of SA-Best in a united force of compassion.

That force of compassion will be reflected on the federal benches in coming weeks with a bill that I understand has the support of the Hon. Sussan Ley, a former minister in the federal government, and indeed Derryn Hinch, well known for his television career but now on those red leather benches in the federal parliament, as well as, of course, those who have long called for the end to this cruel trade: Independent member Andrew Wilkie and the Greens.

We stood on those steps in the earlier part of this month because the Al Shuwaikh, a ship of shame, was docked down at Port Adelaide. That ship of shame had already seen 17,000 sheep die in transit. That ship of shame should not be going through our ports.

There is a way that we can transition from this cruel trade—a cruel trade that, time and time again, has been exposed not by the industry itself, not by the so-called safeguards but, indeed, by small groups. Small groups such as the Port Adelaide Monitors, a group of women who live in the Port Adelaide area and actually monitor the loading of the ships; the RSPCA, a charity; and, of course, people power groups such as Animals Australia. These have always been the groups that have exposed the cruelty in this trade. Yet, the government assures us that it can be done without the cruelty.

We know that the business model of this trade is not actually profitable, certainly not for South Australia if one is to read the Pegasus Economics report recently commissioned by Animals Australia. There would be little damage to South Australia's primary producers by exiting from this trade and there is a lot to benefit from by getting out of the live meat export industry and into the chilled and boxed meat export industry.

The figures add up, the facts speak for themselves when they are exposed, but these small groups are also now prepared to put their money where their mouths are. They have put up $500,000 and encouraged state and federal governments to do the same to ensure that farmers are not left in the lurch as they were back in the early 2010s (around 2012) and to ensure that we can exit properly from this industry this time.

I think we are on a cusp here. We have seen time and time again that cruelty is actually intrinsic to the live export industry. We cannot accept a business model that trades on cruelty. When we trade in that cruelty, we also export jobs from this state. Across Australia and across regional communities across Australia, we have seen the loss of over 10,000 jobs due to the live export industry. We have seen the loss of over 150,000 slaughterhouses and abattoirs due to the live export industry. The time to start taking the toll, both on those animals and the welfare of those animals themselves and, indeed, our economy, is nigh.

We must all work together. I also very much encourage those members of the government benches in this place who, so far, have only had a few break rank to join with the force of compassion across the chambers. Across the Labor Party, across SA-Best, across the Greens and across the Independents in our parliaments, we are saying that enough is enough and it is time to exit and end the live export trade. It is cruel and we must stand up for compassion. If the RSPCA and Animals Australia are willing to put their money where their mouths are and support the farmers to end this industry and to support jobs and, in fact, create jobs in this state, then surely it is time for our state government to do the same.

PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS
MEMBERS
GET INVOLVED
ABOUT PARLIAMENT
VISIT
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY
CONTACT