Andrew Wilkie (Clark, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

In 14 years in this place, I have never heard as much misinformation, disinformation and downright drivel as I've heard during the opposition's contribution regarding the phasing out of the live sheep export industry such as the claim I heard from the member for Maranoa about the conditions on live export vessels. Heavens! It sounded like he was describing a Carnival cruise with the conditions described as being so luxurious for the sheep. This is patent nonsense.

The reality about the conditions on the vessels is to be found on the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry's own website where, among other pieces of very valuable information, there are reports from independent observers that travelled on 53 journeys between 2018 and 2023. Of the reports the independent observers filed, 64 per cent documented indicators of heat stress, ranging from increased respiratory rates to sheep with extended necks and extreme heat stress; and 30 per cent reported marked heat stress, measured as open-mouthed panting or worse.

Activities inconsistent with the Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock were noted in approximately 70 per cent of the reports from the independent observers, cited by the agriculture department. The inconsistencies with ASEL included poor loading practices; poor handling of sheep; poor management of ill sheep; lambing on board; wool length greater than 25 millimetres—leading to a higher risk of heat stress; loading of sheep with horns; obstructed access to food and water; and sheep with pre-existing health issues and injuries. In other words, any claims that the conditions on the vessels are like a cruise liner are patent nonsense. Then, of course, there are the numerous exposes over the years. Who could forget the most shocking expose, the Awassi Express, with lambs born on board, drowning in the faeces, urine and filth on the decks of that vessel.

Regarding the claim that no country has better animal welfare standards than Australia, every country that doesn't participate in the live animal export trade has better animal welfare standards than us. For example, New Zealand banned live animal exports years ago. There's currently a bill before the UK House of Commons that would ban live export from the UK. Germany is tightening safeguards. It is patent nonsense to maintain this fiction that Australia is leading the world in animal welfare standards. We are not. You only have to look at these figures from the agriculture department and compare us with countries that have banned the trade.

Then there's the ridiculous claim that the live sheep export trade is somehow growing when in fact it's shrunk by 90 per cent over the last two decades. The only reason there's been a small bump in recent numbers is exactly that: just a small bump in the numbers. But, when you look at the trendline since 2003, it has been down, down, down and down. In fact, WA live sheep exports are now valued at less than $100 million. That is less than two per cent—not much more than one per cent—of the value of Australian sheepmeat exports. What is growing is exports of processed sheepmeat now valued at almost $4.5 billion. That's right: the live trade is worth less than $100 million; and the processed sheepmeat trade is worth something in the order of $4,500 million. We are now supplying more than 50 per cent of the global sheepmeat trade. Is this going to the Middle East or is this another fiction that customers in the Middle East will only buy live animals? Well, processed meat to the Middle East is going up in the United Arab Emirates and it's going up in shipments to Kuwait. Our sales to Qatar are going up. Our sales to Jordan are going up. Our sales to Saudi Arabia are going up. In other words, customers in the Middle East and North Africa are craving our high-quality processed sheepmeat, be it frozen or chilled.

What of this very significant claim—and I should add that I have all the respect in the world for our farmers—that the ban will destroy their farms and destroy the towns in those farming regions? I would say to those farmers: stop listening to the nonsense from the opposition and face the reality that your industry is in terminal decline. In fact, it's the politicians who want to help you pivot to a different mix on the farm and different practices on the farm and to provide $107 million of assistance so that farmers and towns—

See this speech in context