Gai Brodtmann (Canberra, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Cyber Security and Defence) Share this | Hansard source

Since working on the Middle East desk in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in the late nineties, I've been aware of the concerns of Australians about live sheep exports. Since being elected the member for Canberra, I've been inundated with Canberrans advocating for change to the live sheep export industry. Over and over again, they've told me, through emails, through letters, through mobile offices, when standing at their doors while I've been door-knocking and at events, that it's time to end live sheep exports. Australians have been more than patient with promises from the industry that it would change and that it would improve. They've said, 'Enough is enough.' So, when Labor announced it would end live sheep exports, I was pleased to be inundated by messages of support—messages like this one, which I received just yesterday:

I want to express my gratitude to you for advocating for an end to the sheep trade. I'm sure I'm not the only one who is pleased about your position against the cruel sheep trade.

It's time that we support the industry to transition so that we can get the best outcome for animal welfare and Australia's farmers. Labor has consistently called on the Turnbull government to do something about the deaths and shocking mistreatment of these animals. No matter how many times the Prime Minister has tried to convince us, he just won't do anything about it. This has been reviewed to death. Nothing has changed. Labor will end the cruelty.

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