Greens Deputy Leader and Animal Welfare spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi is calling on the Labor government to intervene urgently and get stranded animals off the MV Bahijah. The live export ship sits off the coast of Western Australia and the animals have been onboard the ship for almost a month.
Senator Faruqi said:
"We need to get the sheep and cattle off the ship right now and shut down this vile trade once and for all. Enough is enough.
"These poor animals have already been through so much, stranded at sea with barely any space or light, cramped together in their own filth for almost a month.
"With temperatures predicted to soar in the next few days, conditions will only get worse for these poor animals already under stress. Where is the Minister hiding?
"The industry wants to send them back out on the sea, proving, yet again, that it could not care less about the welfare of these animals. It's always been about profit for them.
"The Labor government has kicked the can down the road on live exports long enough. Animals suffering these horrendous conditions can't wait for the next term of government. Labor must legislate an end date now and start the shut down."
