Australian Government

The reportable rate for sheep is above 2%, for cattle, 1%, as specified in the Australian Maritime Safety Authority Marine Order - Part 43 (Section 40).

The MV Becux was purported to be a "state of the art" livestock carrier purpose built to ship livestock in the 'best possible conditions'! This was its maiden voyage. Out of the 1977 cattle that were loaded at both Portland Victoria and Fremantle Perth Western Australia, 880 cattle died. This is 44.1% mortality figure. From 63413 sheep loaded, 1418 died on this same voyage. This figure is above the 2% acceptable level, at 2.03%, and so this investigation also covers the sheep mortalities.  

The exporter of the animals aboard the Al Messilah V.50, MV Al Shuwaikh V.20, and MV Al Shuwaikh V.21 was *Rural Export & Trading (WA) Ltd. One of the Directors is a Former Chairman of the Australian Exporters Council (ALEC), and former Chairman of the Livestock Exporter Assn) and is now on the boards of two other export companies; *International Livestock Export Pty Ltd and Emanuel Exports Pty Ltd. This same Director is the man behind the Al Khaleej August 2001 and Cormo Express August 2003 tragedies.

In January 2003, Rural Export & Trading (WA) Ltd had their export licence suspended after several shipments with unacceptably high fatality rates.  

The investigation of the MV Corriedale Express V.152 has revealed that the exporter of this shipment is none other than International Livestock Export Pty Ltd

For more information revealing the appalling conditions Australian animals suffered aboard these floating coffins, contained in these mortality reports please click on the ship names.

NOTE: The Keniry report said sanctions attached to an exporter's licence should apply to the export licence of other livestock export companies in which the directors or senior executives were involved.

The Death Files contain a list of all the ships and related animal mortalities over the last twenty years.

Mortality figures are often quite conflicting between the different governments departments responsible for reporting and gathering this information. This can be seen on the transcript of the first 60 minutes programme ( 27 July 2002 ) about the trade, where it was alleged that mortalities on board were falsified. As a result of that programme, on 30 July 2002 , Federal Minister Warren Truss instructed that AQIS ( Australian Quarantine Inspection Service) investigate the misreporting on this particular voyage.

An investigation report into cattle mortalities aboard the MV Novantes Voyage 83 , 8-19 February 2002, page 10 of 25 confirms that there is a conflict of interest by an AQIS accredited veterinarian, who sold his own cattle to an exporter after he inspected and treated them. Although another AQIS vet inspected the cattle on the day of loading, the question of the involvement of any AQIS vets having a financial interest in animals for export has not been addressed or resolved.

Below is an extract from the Novantes investigation.

Below is an extract from the first 60 Minutes programme screened on 27 July 2002 ...

*In 2000, we saw an entire shipment of deer perish during the short journey between Brisbane and Sydney. These deer were destined for Thailand . Source: Department of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries Australia (AFFA) website, 27.09.02.

According to our informant, a former stockman, these deer "bashed themselves to death".

*Two shipments of cattle to Korea were rejected at their destination when local farmers believed the trade would threaten their local 'Hanwoo' cattle industry. Six cattle were beaten to death while the remainder had to be held in quarantine and on board ship until the Korean Government were able to move them to slaughter.

In May 2001, a suspension of further exports to South Korea was implemented.

*In April 2002, India quarantined 200 cattle due to alleged disease concerns under the industry-country protocol.

*September 2002, a consignment of goats to Korea was questionable when on goat arrived was diagnosed with blue tongue on arrival following a mix up on laboratory results and supporting documentation.

*September 2002, an exporter from Portland Australia , loaded 41 cattle deemed unfit for export to China . The whole shipment was halted and the trade was suspended.