30 April 2023 signals the end of cattle export from NZ. And in breaking news, Reuters reports that a Brazilian court has banned the export of live cattle from all the country's ports. Whilst the government may appeal the decision, it will follow court orders currently. The ruling revolved around animal sentience and animal welfare. If it is upheld, then NZ has finished, Brazil (a major player) has finished and Australia is at least set to phaseout the live sheep trade...all of which make global live export increasingly uncertain. It will also remove one of the key arguments of Australian cattle exporters ie namely that if Australia stops, the South Americans will just step in. This ruling could be a significant step in worldwide condemnation and cessation of this trade - and yes boxed meat should adequately fill the void.

SAFE in NZ reports that cattle awaiting the last live export voyage from New Zealand are being forced to live in mud with no shelter in pre-export quarantine. These sub-optimal conditions occur before the long and often difficult journey by sea, before they disappear into a welfare void on arrival.
As Australia negotiates its own ban on live sheep exports, the industry is trying to insist that things have changed, that regulations and their own initiatives have made a difference to welfare. It's just not the case - ASEL and ESCAS breaches by exporters continue on at the usual rate and suffering is inherent in the entire live export chain, whether from Australia or NZ. And interestingly, New Zealand sentiment against the Nationals new (and bumbling) commitment to reinstate live ex is very evident in the NZ media.

See:
SAFE For AnimalsDisturbing footage  has emerged showing thousands of cattle in pre-export quarantine near Pleasant Point.
TV interview https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/shows/2023/04/newshub-nation-national-mp-nicola-grigg-defends-controversial-live-animal-export-policy.html -  
Radio Interview https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/the-weekend-collective/politics-central/chris-luxon-national-party-leader-will-only-bring-back-live-animal-exports-under-strict-regulations/
Opinion article https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/300859849/national-is-no-friend-of-change-but-the-devil-is-in-the-detail
Facebook thread https://www.facebook.com/1NewsNZ/posts/pfbid0pkGgMnpfovsW1T8ADHQURBcMNXH4fR6LLyUgjkHhTJwd76BdPqZ8bWyGxe8JiiXUl
Twitter thread https://twitter.com/NewshubNationNZ/status/1649558514631602178 and https://twitter.com/Naly_D/status/1649571442512756736

Marine Link and Splash 24/7 report that sailors from abandoned Yangtze Fortune and Yangtze Harmony have now been repatriated from both Singapore and Australia. These ships carried Australian sheep repeatedly post the Awassi Express expose in 2018, even having industry/university research performed onboard despite both having repeated animal welfare incidents. The industry of course were claiming best shipping standards in the world, best animal welfare in the world, all problems fixed yadda yadda yadda. AMSA had moments of action but it wasnt till 2022 that AMSA finally moved and the Australian Federal Court seized Yangtze Fortune after the owner's refusal to make urgent repairs. Soar Harmony Shipping then abandoned Yangtze Harmony also
Late last year, the International Transport Worker's Federation Australian Inspectorate Coordinator, Ian Bray, said that the Yangtze Fortune was representative of a broader problem in the livestock shipping industry where crews go unpaid and ships operate on the precipice of insolvency. “We believe there is an epidemic of borderline insolvency amongst the operators of these livestock ships as they repeatedly feature among the worst cases in our inspections around Australia and internationally.” Do the vociferous farmers still trying to obstruct the phaseout not know or do they not care?

Well anyone who lives in Fremantle would definitely know there was a live export ship loading. The stench in Fremantle CBD yesterday was very bad. Today no better and being carried much further inland (at least 5-6 km) with the northwesterly. There are critical ammonia levels set for workers - none for animals of course. Is the ammonia is on this ship ever checked?