Brian Mitchell (Lyons, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

One day perhaps! No, I'll be dead—hang on!

With the live sheep trade's long history in Australia, I can well understand why some farmers and those opposite don't want the trade to end. There's a historical legacy, but it's a trade whose time to go has come. Records show that as far back as 1845 WA was sending live sheep to Singapore. The more modern trade commenced in 1945, with 24,000 sheep exported. And things really took off when markets to the Middle East opened up. Two ships took 12,000 sheep between them, followed by 28,000 loaded onto the Cormorant. Ships today carry more than 100,000 sheep a piece. So far this year 1.3 million sheep have been exported live. And, as the member just said, 1.7 million went last year. Despite all the noise, the live sheep trade represents around just seven per cent of lamb sales nationally. It is a significant—

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