Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Far from condemning the minister, those opposite should join with the government in congratulating Minister Ludwig on the actions that he has taken thus far. Far from earning condemnation, the minister should be receiving congratulations from those opposite for the actions he has taken thus far. What we started with was the Four Corners footage of the treatment of Australia's live cattle exports in Indonesian abattoirs, which was truly horrific. Nobody could watch that footage of animal mistreatment and think that it is acceptable. That is why, immediately after seeing the footage, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Ludwig, ordered an investigation into the footage. He also asked to be provided with all the regulatory and legislative actions available to him to address the immediate welfare issues for those animals. Equipped with that information, and with the investigation underway, the government firstly suspended live animal exports to the facilities identified by the evidence from the RSPCA and Animals Australia and agreed to add further facilities to the list of banned facilities; implemented a moratorium on the installation of the restraint boxes seen being used in the footage, a change that applies to the installation of any new boxes with Commonwealth funds across all global markets; asked the Chief Veterinary Officer to coordinate the independent scientific assessment of the restraint boxes used in Indonesia; and announced that the government would appoint an independent reviewer to investigate the complete supply chain for live exports up to and including the point of slaughter.

What is clear in all of this is that the producers and the community have been let down by the industry—and the government has taken the appropriate course of action in the circumstances. It is not possible in the current system to guarantee that cattle will not be exposed to the conditions that we have seen. That is why the total suspension order is in place. As those opposite distort the debate, we need to consider whether it is worth taking the risk that Australian animals will continue to be exposed to the shocking conditions we have seen. Cattle producers do not want to see cattle treated this way, nor do the community and the government. This suspension will allow the establishment of a transparent, verifiable system that will account for cattle in Australia right through the supply chain. That is the community standard, that is the government standard and it must be the industry standard.

Minister Ludwig has made it clear that the trade to Indonesia will only recommence when we are certain that the industry is able to comply with that supply chain assurance. The decision to suspend trade was not made easily, but the purpose of the suspension will ensure the better and humane treatment of Australian livestock into the future.

The government is committed to reaching the best possible outcomes for the livestock, for the industry and for our important relationship with Indonesia. To achieve the best possible outcomes the government is talking to industry and assessing the impact of the suspension. The next step is to develop a plan to ensure welfare compliance in the supply chain and also to ensure a sustainable domestic industry.

For those opposite to argue that the government has not previously taken any action to protect Australian livestock exports is completely untrue. Minister Ludwig has consistently expressed his concern about animal welfare outcomes in the live animal trade. As with any industry, it is appropriate to work with them to raise the standards. In fact, as we have heard here today, in January the minister wrote to the industry asking them to better address animal welfare. The plans presented by the industry in March and May were not accepted. The minister said publicly, including, as I understand it, at the Northern Territory Cattlemen's Association conference, that the industry had to act on these issues. The minister has said previously, including in question time today, that the plans did not go far enough, that he did not have confidence that they addressed the issue of animal welfare.

Notwithstanding that, industry responses have not addressed the core of the problem, and that is a lack of transparency and verification across the system. We need a transparent and verifiable system that will account for cattle from Australia right through the supply chain. At the moment, the suspension order is necessary to ensure the welfare of Australian livestock. There is currently no guarantee that cattle from Australia are able to be exported to Indonesia and processed within an approved facility. As a result, the government— (Time expired)