Former LIVE EX DIRECTOR SUPPORTS BAN AND BLASTS OLD SHIPS

When asked by Sheep Central whether Somalian live export has benefited by the Australian ban (which hasnt even started!), former Wellard director and chief executive officer Mauro Balzarini stated that he did not believe the Somalia situation is only or predominantly caused by the Australian ban. “Somalia has always been a significant exporter of sheep and they export a very different type of sheep which serve different sector of the market. The lingering ban had a minor impact."

He then went on to say: “Sheep price are firm now in Australia despite the looming ban, because there are other market forces that play a much more important role than live export in driving sheep farming profits.

But he was extremely critical of the Australian live export industry with these quotes:
- "the industry is not helping itself when I see ships that are 40 years old, and therefore intrinsically unsafe, still loading in Australia." (how many times has VALE said the same?)
- “It definitely did not show any serious commitment to innovating and securing the industry. The last new building ship of significant size is still the last one I built in 2016 (now called Al Kuwait), over 9 nine years ago" (ditto)
- “If I were still involved in the trade, I would support the ban because I am afraid that another disaster on a sheep shipment would mean the end of the whole live export industry including cattle, which are far more important than sheep.
- “I now live in NZ and as you know there is total ban of livestock export from here caused by a major disaster (that was a disaster waiting to happen)” (as per VALEs analysis)
- “Having said that, a better approach to safeguard the industry would have been a more stringent regulation, with a 20-year age limit on ships (BHP impose that for transport of iron ore!), a higher standard for livestock service on board, lower loading density and a serious vetting process for all companies involved in the trade.” (as per VALEs request for the last 14 years)

So there we have it....direct from the mouth of one the industry's former leading players in Australia.