Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

The challenge for those on the other side is to ensure that we do two things in relation to the live animal export industry: first of all, ensure animal welfare outcomes when the cattle go to export markets and, second, ensure we have a system in place that provides supply chain assurance. 'Supply chain assurance' means that we can trace, have independent verification and particularly have an auditing system in place. Those on the other side are stuck on two things: one is a closed loop system or something like a closed loop system and the second is an abattoir which might meet a particular standard. It is important that they do have a supply chain assurance in place.

In terms of whether I was aware of particular systems being in place, the crux of the matter is: is there supply chain assurance in place with traceability, transparency and an accounting and verification process? If you adopted the policy of those on the other side, you would be sending cattle cruelly to markets without any assurance that they are—