Ken O'Dowd (Flynn, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Like all Australians, I was shocked and deeply disturbed by the mistreatment of Australian livestock exposed in the recent Four Corners program and agreed that urgent action should be taken to stop our beef cattle being slaughtered in this cruel manner. We all agreed that something needed to be done. Both sides of the House started on the same page and had the same idea: banning exports to the abattoirs whose practices were identified as inhumane. But this Labor government's decision to suddenly ban all live cattle exports to Indonesia is a knee-jerk reaction with serious consequences to our important beef cattle industry and our relationship with Indonesia. It is obvious that this government has panicked and bowed to the demands of animal activists, some Independents and the Greens. The decision punishes those who are doing the right thing, both in Australia and in Indonesia, and it will have a ripple effect throughout the industry in both countries, without stopping the inhumane treatment of cattle. This suspension must be stopped in the immediate future, within the next four weeks, because the wet season will come down upon us and the cattle will not be able to be moved in the north. So, if the ban lasts six months, it will actually become 12 months. The ban also raises some concerns over Australian chilled boxed meat exports to Indonesia. There is a real concern that Indonesia could retaliate by stopping imports of our boxed meat products, which now total about 50,000 tonnes per year.

If we could have our own way, Australia would only process, freeze and ship packaged meat to other parts of the world, but there are some countries where this is not possible for cultural and practical reasons, such as lack of refrigeration. But, if Australia does not promptly resume these cattle exports to Indonesia, the country could turn to illegal trade with countries such as India, which carries a real threat of contamination with foot-and-mouth disease. Many dollars have been spent by Australia in Indonesia to eradicate this hideous disease, and this opens up that threat again. We know that there are abattoirs in Indonesia that have been doing the right thing, with modern stunning and slaughter facilities, and there are five slaughter houses in Indonesia that are operating under Australian standards.

Now this Labor government has antagonised the key industry people in Australia and Indonesia. This total suspension is not going to solve the problem. It is not going to encourage those who are doing the wrong thing to stop, as they will source their cattle from countries other than Australia. This ban has left hundreds of cattle stranded in holding yards and on trucks, while beef producers stand to lose millions of dollars if the suspension drags on. This decision was made with no thought to the consequences and no plans for the future of this vital industry. (Time expired)