Before you read the export standards there are some facts we feel you should be aware of.

Click here to view the new Export Standards

These new standards were written in response to the Keniry report on the failings of the live trade in the wake of the Cormo Express saga. The Federal Government decided not to implement all the recommendations but drafted a new set of rules in an effort to dupe the public into believing that they are truly interested in seeing the live export of Australian animals ‘cleaned up’.

Sorry, this window dressing just does not work.

The Federal Government measures the success of a voyage by the number of dead animals at the port of destination. A few years ago an arbitrary figure of 1% for cattle and 2% for sheep was set as the minimum mortality rate acceptable aboard any vessel.  This percentage still stands today. Any rate above this nominal figure ’supposedly’ starts an investigation…which usually results in…..nothing. (Total numbers of sheep exported to date number approximately 74 million, 2% is 1.5 million DEAD. And that does not include the thousands that have died aboard ships of disaster...eg Uniceb, Cormo…etc. We also believe that the mortality rate figures touted by the Government are not to be believed because they are not verified.)

What we at Live Export Shame see clearly is that the deaths of animals during transport to the feedlot, in the feedlot, and transport to the port are not taken into account at all. The ‘export chain’ spoken of in these new standards actually refers only to the voyage and any other measurement of the ‘chain’ is irrelevant.

The key to measure success is by an audit of the animals at every stage of the transport cycle-from farm gate to arrival at the port.  Farmers should be the first to be made accountable when they select animals for transport and load at the farm gate (how many times have we seen animals unloaded at the last point before departure which should never even have been transported due to obvious conditions which preclude them-e.g. pregnant ewes, blind and lame sheep). It is the farmer who must determine the suitability of an animal for transport. 
 

 

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Suitably qualified and independent inspectors must be present to inspect when:

  • Animals are unloaded at the feedlot. It is extremely unlikely that an industry loathed to spend money will employ vets to inspect every head of sheep or cattle especially as thousands of animals are in the feedlot at the one time.
  • ALL animals must be inspected individually by AQIS to ensure the animals comply with the health requirements of the export standards. According to our sources there are two AQIS vets responsible for the inspection of export animals in the state of WA.
    Question:     How can one vet inspect 80,000 + animals at one feedlot?
    Answer:     He cannot; AQIS vets must accept the word of the exporter and third party vet employed by the exporter. Also see the Countryman Newspaper Article - Port vet numbers cut.
  • ALL animals must be inspected at loading to ensure the transport phase of the ‘export chain’ complies with the new standards. Of course this is not done. The Federal Govt nor the live export industry has not committed the man power or the money for this exercise…that is why we see sheep’s legs sticking out of the sides of trucks, heads jammed between rails, pregnant sheep going to export, dead and dying on trucks.. and that is on the way to the port!
  • There should be an independent inspector at the port monitoring the arrival of  EVERY truck to ensure the welfare of the animals is paramount. Live Export Shame believes the Industry sees MONEY as paramount, not the welfare of the animals. Welfare costs and this industry HATE to spend…

These new standards also try to reassure the reader that every step has been taken to ensure animal health and well being is paramount.

These standards stand alone. They have no support by way of policing at any point in the export chain.  The industry is entirely self regulating…just as before. Only now AQIS are minimally involved but they don’t have the manpower… the standards are basically toilet paper.

Also the exact number of deaths of animals is suspect considering they are industry supplied figures.  Who keeps records of how many animals die during the local transport cycle? One could play Devil's Advocate and say the it is a well guarded secret.. But from whom? Theories could range from Insurance Companies, RSPCA or perhaps the worst feared of all....we, the bio terrorists of this world. 

 

The New Export Standards

click on the links below to read documents in Acrobat format (.pdf) in new window:

 

The 2006 AQIS Version Two Australian Export Standards for Livestock Export - 18 Sept 2006

 

Archived - The 2005 AQIS Version One Australian Export Standards for Livestock Export

 

  
 
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