Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to express the increasing frustration of many of my constituents at the government's lack of real action on live sheep exports. We saw a few months ago some horrific footage of the mistreatment of animals being transported to the Middle East.

Mr Broad interjecting—

People have come together and said we've got to do something about this. It is disappointing that the government has failed to act. Constituents have raised with me the distress that they have felt seeing these animals suffer in extreme heat and sometimes suffocating and drowning in their own filth. It is disappointing that the government has ignored advice from both the Australian Veterinary Association and the RSPCA that clearly stated that live sheep cannot be transported safely and humanely to the Middle East during the northern summer without suffering casualties and extreme heat stress. This is distressing to so many people.

Mr Broad interjecting—

I am disappointed that the member opposite is interjecting. He needs to start listening to the Australian people and, indeed, to the farmers, who don't want to see their sheep being treated like this either. It's inhumane and absolutely appalling. My community and many communities around Australia are asking for action from this government but are being sorely denied. (Time expired)

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