"My strongest criticism in all of this is directed at the MLA....they’re still in denial on their culpability" Federal Member for Page

Janelle Saffin’s statement on the end of suspension of live cattle trade

Today I sought further detail on the announcement by Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig lifting the suspension of live cattle exports to Indonesia.

The Minister has declared that no live cattle will depart for Indonesia until the government is assured of humane treatment throughout the supply chain.

I welcome this and I’d like to be able to say that the Minister’s announcement satisfies the three part motion put to Caucus last month.
At this stage I do not have enough information to give that unqualified support.

Last month Caucus endorsed a motion that called for:
*the immediate cessation of live cattle exports to Indonesia until all slaughter houses receiving Australian cattle to comply with international OIE standards, encouraging the use of stunning and ongoing independent monitoring.
*an independent review of the live animal export trade
*MLA to use their contingency funds to support the producers affected by the suspension, and for the Minister to use his statutory power if the MLA did not act of its own volition.

The Minister has said that his announcement addresses the Caucus motion.
I still need to see more detail of how it addresses the part of the motion that called for encouragement of stunning.

I have asked the minister how he would comply with that part of the motion.
The Minister in his ministerial statement said “obviously the use of stunning equipment improves the welfare outcomes for animals and the Government has made it clear it will encourage stunning wherever possible”.

I want to see a stronger commitment from the Government for encouraging stunning.
The Caucus motion clearly called for encouraging the use of stunning, and that has to be an ongoing process.
The Australian community expects no less.

My strongest criticism in all of this is directed at the MLA.
I’ve made many comments on the MLA and they‘re still missing in action in taking responsibility for this mess.
They use the levies from farmers and public money and they’re still in denial on their culpability - denying their responsibility for the fact that Australian animals were not being killed humanely.

I repeat my call which I’ve made many times for a complete inquiry into their whole structure.

I also deplore the duplicitous actions of the Federal National Party in this matter. Their attitude is say to the community how terrible it is that animals are being killed like that, but in Canberra they talk very differently. And we must remember they set up the structure of the MLA and industry self-regulation.

7 July 2011 media release from the Office of Janelle Saffin MP, Member for Page