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

Last night I announced that the export suspension has been lifted. The government had always said that the trade would resume when appropriate supply chain assurances could be met and animal welfare standards could be safeguarded.

We have achieved an agreement with industry about how international standards will be operationalised, and now we are also confident the number of exporters in Australia are ready to meet those standards. We have also received advice from the Indonesian counterparts that they are prepared to issue import permits for the importation of live cattle. Strict new conditions, though, have been written into all export permits that will allow the export of live cattle only when animals can be managed through the supply chain to meet those international guidelines which I spoke of.

These conditions require exporters to trace cattle from properties onto vessels, into feedlots, and from feedlots into slaughter­houses at the agreed international standard. Permits will only be issued to those exporters who can demonstrate that this will in fact be the case. Exporters will have to collect and make public the data on the individual consignments that they take to market, including where animals are fattened, how they are transported and where they are slaughtered.

Supply chains will be verified by commercial independent auditors, with the entire process to be independently audited on a regular basis. What that means is that these audits will be made public. So you will have international auditors who audit the particular supply chain, including the end at the abattoir, to ensure that they meet those supply chain assurances, that they meet animal welfare outcomes, that they ensure that animals are not mistreated throughout that supply chain, and that audit by the independent auditor will be available publicly. (Time expired)