Animal Welfare spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi is calling on Labor to phase out live sheep exports urgently, after yet another expose showed the intense cruelty suffered by sheep and the complete failure of the regulator to ensure compliance.
Senator Faruqi said:
"Australian regulators are failing sheep welfare. They can't put independent observers on every ship that meets the criteria. They can't stop every incident of cruelty. They can't ensure compliance. That only points to one thing - this cruel trade is irredeemable.
"No more excuses. The only way to stop cruelty to sheep is to end live export.
"Labor must move faster and bring legislation in this year to phase out live sheep export. That's what people expect and want.
"We know the majority of Australians want to end this trade in misery. A quarter of Australians think that there should be an immediate ban on live export while a third believe it should be phased out over 2 years. It's time for Labor to listen.
"How many times will animal welfare advocates do the department's job and expose their failures? This is sickening.
"The Minister must report back from the investigation and ensure rules are strictly followed as the live export trade is phased out.
