Following the IGLAE report on the Independent Observer Report, there have been renewed calls for having an independent veterinarian on every ship. VALE has long called for this. AVA have long called for it (albeit recently modified their policy to just having a vet on every ship, not necessarily independent - good lobbying by industry!). The RSPCA has called for it.
The Inspector General has reported that there are deficiencies in the independent observer program and that a post-implementation review into the independent observer program found that "reports from onboard Australian Government accredited veterinarians (AAVs) and stockpersons often lacked sufficient detail for the department to make informed regulatory decisions (DAWE and AMSA 2020)." Yup....and thats why we need an INDEPENDENT veterinarian on every ship.
See article in the Weekly Times: Push for vets on every live export voyage grows after sheep deaths

Its an extraordinary story from Newsroom.
With the NZ Government on track to phaseout and end live export of dairy cattle, the exporters were working hard with the Ministry of Primary Industry to develop gold standards for continued exporting.
Damien O’Connor, who was Minister for Agriculture at the time has told Newsroom he would never have signed off on the work, and was not told by officials it was being done.  “Obviously, if I had knowledge of that, I would not have endorsed it, given that the trade was about to finish.” A live exports working group was set up following the 2020 sinking of Gulf Livestock 1. A report by Mike Heron QC recommended this group needed representatives from the industry and the ministry, as well as Maritime NZ, and animal welfare experts and advocates. Shortly after this, the government confirmed a total ban on the trade. The group was then tasked with overseeing the two-year transition period, particularly making sure recommendations from the Heron report were being worked toward. BUT despite the Heron recommendation, members were industry representatives, the food assurance company AsureQuality, and ministry officials - the group included no animal welfare experts and advocates.
The FOI process in NZ is actually functional. With the Dept of Ag resisting any FOI about live export, such information would never come to light in Australia.

Why? Insufficient voyages have IOs deployed with the most common reason being exporters signing statutory declarations that they cant accommodate an IO. The IGLAE clearly has his doubts!

Why are they still necessary? Contrary to the assertions by industry, a post-implementation review into the independent observer program found that "reports from onboard Australian Government accredited veterinarians (AAVs) and stockpersons often lacked sufficient detail for the department to make informed regulatory decisions (DAWE and AMSA 2020)."

Conclusion: "the IO program does not appear to provide acceptable levels of assurance regarding the health and welfare of livestock across all markets.”

See IGLAE Report
See VALE Summary

 Sheep Central reported that ALEC regrettably advises that a small air freight consignment of breeder sheep to Jakarta experienced a mortality event of approximately 80 sheep on the evening of 17 August.
The sheep were apparently Dorpers and no explanation has yet been provided. No doubt, with the usual transparency involved, we will never be informed of their cause of death...or if the cause is identified, the Dept will gloss over it as they have done previously with high mortality flights eg finding crates adequate despite all evidence to the contrary.
And....have we heard anything more about the high mortality voyage to Indonesia and the purported incorrect Masters Report? Not a cracker....still up on DAFFs website as botulism despite coccidiosis being confirmed.