The Albanese Government introduced legislation for the phaseout timeline and financial assistance package in the Lower House today. VALE welcomes the introduction of the legislation and congratulates the Government for following through steadily and carefully with its election commitment.
 
See: https://mailchi.mp/rspca/rspca-media-rspca-welcomes-budget-confirmation-of-live-sheep-export-phase-out-5067220?e=6394fdc579

The United Kingdom’s Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill has just passed its final stage in Parliament and will soon be enshrined into law. This will mean that the UK has banned export of farmed animals by sea. The Australian Labor Government also announced this weekend (11/05/24) that from May 2028, they will ban live export of sheep by sea. These moves have two competitive trading partners passing progressive animal welfare legislation whilst NZ, thanks to the previous Labour government’s agricultural Minister, Damien O’Connor - while the National-led coalition government has a ban already in place....albeit the National-led coalition is busy trying to winding it back (a move seemingly as unpopular with most farmers as it is the general public with one farmer describing it as trying to "polish a turd").

It could well be that if these three trading partners stand firm on their respective bans that a clear signal will be sent worldwide that this trade is not acceptable. Could this be the beginning of the end of the animal version of the human slave trade?

See what New Zealand Vets have to say about it : https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO2405/S00071/live-export-new-zealand-sails-backwards-whilst-the-uk-and-australia-competitively-sail-forward.htm

The Minister for Agriculture Minister Murray Watt today released the Government’s plan to phase out live sheep exports setting an end date of 1 May 2028 and providing an adjustment package of $107 million. The intention is to legislate the phaseout in this term of parliament. The decision follows the recommendations of the Independent Panel to end live sheep exports and transition the industry towards chilled meat exports.
 
As VALE spokesperson Dr Sue Foster stated: "The Government has responded to the justifiable concerns of the majority of Australians and also to animal welfare science. The investment of $2.6 million in animal welfare measures as part of the transition package further demonstrates the Government’s recognition of the importance of ethical treatment of animals."

Still 4 more years of suffering for the sheep though. It is significant that NZ could phase out a much larger and more lucrative national export trade in 2 years whilst it takes Australia 4 years to phaseout an export trade from one state! But lets hope, that unlike NZ, the package means that it will really happen and be permanent.

Yes, that is how some NZ farmers have reacted when asked about their opinion on the resintatement of live ex in NZ with new "gold standards" - listen to the audio recording of the interview with the Minister at https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/515713/live-cattle-exports-help-farmers-diversify-income-associate-agriculture-minister.
The Minister or a government that is already polling badly tried in vain to defend his position....given the deep unpopularity of live ex in NZ, the current Govt may see this as having backed the wrong issue. Lets hope that concerns over their political survival for more than a term will see them drop this retrograde proposal.