The Moss review found that the Department of Agriculture was “unable to report the outcomes of investigations in a timely manner.” The review also highlighted instances where former staff in the animal welfare branch of the Department allegedly had their reports “revised or redrafted to dilute or expunge findings which adversely reflected on the regulatory framework.”

VALE believe that not much has changed - see our new web page  and Wendy Laursen's excellent article https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/live-export-following-the-paper-trail

This is the question asked by former liver export veterinarian Dr Lynn Simpson in her article in Splash 24/7.

Whilst farmers, cheered up by pathetic DAWR responses think they can hang on...apparently no-one has told them that some of the ships wont even be able to sail from 1st Jan 2020.

40 weeks to go and counting.

If only the Australian government would stop counting votes and actually consider the big picture with honesty, information and transparency, then both Australian animals and Australian farmers would be better off.

For the period June to August, "the department will not grant export permits after 31 May 2019"

Yes that is right. The DAWR has confirmed that they will approve exports to the Middle East right up to 31 May 2019 which means that they can approve voyages extending into June or even July (if voyage is to Turkey).

Astounding really that the industry have self-imposed a ban from June to August and that the government's position is even weaker than that of industry. Its pathetic what an election will do.

After the DAWR published the first IO Summary detailing heat stress on the Bahijah, the two words "heat stress" in lower case were never again included on an IO Summary.

Yep.....Moss Review over, the lack of transparency and the cover up continues. Check out VALE's latest web page for the Official Independent Observer Summaries, any available FOI data for each voyage and VALE's  analysis of each of these independently observed voyages: www.vale.org.au/independent-observer-reports.html

DAWR has covered up and in doing so has deceived the government which has now allowed voyages to the Middle East in May. This despite the fact that the one voyage that went very close to the mortality limit (0.98%!) was in May and that animals on some voyages (including pastoral cattle) suffered and died from heat stress.

Will we bother submitting our comment to government...unlikely as it is a waste of time but we will continue to let veterinarians and the public know what is really happening and what DAWR are hiding.

The Australian Government yesterday announced that it intends to ban live export of sheep to the ME between June and August (oh, well done – the industry already had a self-imposed ban) but they would continue with decreased stocking density and independent observers.

In this totally farcical move, the Australian Government has ignored the recommendations of the McCarthy Review and all but one (the recommendation to monitor data!) of the recommendations of the Draft Report of their own Technical Representative Panel on Heat Stress Risk Assessment. In addition, they have carefully ignored all the heat stress reports by those independent observers from 2018, probably in line with their careful sanitisation of the Independent Observer summaries which effectively removed any mention of heat stress e.g. for the May voyages. (See http://www.vale.org.au/independent-observer-reports.html)

What an extraordinary waste of time and money to achieve nothing at all. Keep holding out, Independent Observer 7, whoever you are (http://www.vale.org.au/independent-observer-reports.html). Don't let them sanitise your report with 0.98% mortality for one sheep consignment, discrepant sheep numbers, sheep being left without food and water etc.)