Kylea Tink (North Sydney, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, there is, I second the motion, and I rise to support the member for Clark's motion calling on the government to:

(a) intervene immediately to ensure the welfare of the livestock on the MV Bahijah by bringing the animals onshore and into quarantine;

(b) suspend all live animal exports through the Red Sea until the current conflict in the region is over and the risk to crew and animals subsides; and

(c) finally commit to a timeline for the phase out of live sheep exports and legislate an end date immediately.

Not only does my community of North Sydney care very passionately about this really distressing issue but, as someone who grew up on farms in regional and rural New South Wales, I know that there are many people in the bush who would be unhappy to see this situation we are currently in.

The mistreatment of any animal is abhorrent, and farmers themselves are the first advocates for good treatment of livestock. All animals deserve to be treated humanely. Urgent action is needed to end the current ordeal of these animals—the animals on this ship now—and to end the cruelty and suffering of the live export trade in general. These animals have been through enough. They have been stranded on this vessel since 5 January—that's almost a month, colleagues. Sheep don't belong on boats on the water for that long—on a stationary vessel. They are packed together with other animals in their thousands in extremely hot and humid conditions, and this must stop. I want to point out that I acknowledge there have been vets out to the vessel and that there are vets on the vessel, but I would ask my colleagues to acknowledge that animals do not do best on a stationary boat on the water. This is not something we should be fighting over; this case is exceptional and we should be working as a government to bring these animals to shore.

While I welcome the department of agriculture's decision to reject the exporter's application to re-export the animals stranded on board the vessel, I remain concerned that the exporter will apply for another re-export application while these animals continue to suffer. The government can and must act to reduce and alleviate animal suffering, and to ensure the best possible outcome for these animals. They must also act to ensure that this doesn't happen again, by delivering on their promised phase-out of live sheep exports and stopping ocean traffic through the Red Sea at this point in time.

Australia's live export industry has demonstrated time and time again its willingness to condemn animals to extreme risk of suffering and death in the name of profits, and we have an opportunity to counter this right now. In 2019 the Labor Party committed to phasing out live sheep exports over five years but, since coming to power, the government has done nothing and we're yet to see a commitment to the time line. While late last year the government expanded the functions of the Inspector-General of Live Animal Exports to include increased oversight, accountability and transparency for animal welfare of exported livestock, I see no evidence of that role at work here. How can we allow this cruelty to continue whilst failing to deliver on promises?

I join the member for Clark in calling on the government to ensure the welfare of the livestock on board the MV Bahijah and to stop allowing live export ships to travel through the tumultuous Red Sea whilst conflict continues. We must hold the government to account to deliver on their promise to phase out live sheep exports.

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