Coalition backs live export changes – but devil in the detail
21st October, 2011
“THE Coalition broadly supports Farmer Report recommendations to beef up supply chain assurances and expand tracking systems to account for all Australian animals entering live export markets,” Leader of The Nationals and Acting Shadow Minister for Agriculture Warren Truss said.“We welcome the government’s statement of commitment to the $1 billion-a-year live export sector. We are keen to examine the detail of the Report and to make sense of the vagaries in the government’s response.
“The timetables set are ambitious and will require high levels of cooperation between the industry, the Australian Government and our international customers. There will be particular challenges in extending tracing systems to small animals and in countries where the supply chain is long and remote.
“At face value, the changes being mooted appear in line with the industry’s own reform initiatives, taking a rational, methodical approach to improving animal welfare in destination markets.
“That’s a marked improvement on Labor’s knee-jerk response, imposing a total ban on live cattle exports to Indonesia without even speaking to our trading partner and devoid of understanding the catastrophic implications for businesses, families and entire communities across northern Australia.
“Nevertheless, the changes will come with a significant price tag – anticipated in the realm of $25 million. While the government has announced support for some of the required upgrades, especially overseas, a big proportion of the ongoing cost will be borne by Australian producers.
“A bit of foresight – not to mention understanding of the live export sector – by government could have seen this investment injected upfront, well before the blanket Indonesian ban required a $100 million taxpayer-funded assistance package to compensate cattle producers for government ineptitude.
“That could have saved taxpayers around $75 million and delivered the same end result, without plunging families, businesses and communities across our north into financial chaos and deep emotional distress.
“Of the 109 countries that export live animals Australia is the only one investing in animal welfare in destination markets. By remaining a major player in the live trade, Australia is in a solid position to meet bourgeoning world food demand, but also to be a driving influence in the uptake of sound animal welfare practises.”
The $1 billion live export industry is very important to the national economy, as well as families, businesses and entire communities across regional Australia. In all, some 13,000 direct Australian jobs depend on the sector.
It is also particularly important to Indigenous communities with 82 Indigenous cattle properties alone directly supporting 700 Indigenous jobs and, indirectly, supporting a further 17,000 people in station communities.
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