Josh Wilson (Fremantle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to table petition EN5323, on the subject of the government's commitment to manage the end of the live sheep export trade.

The petition read as follows—

Live sheep export by sea must be phased out because of its inherent and unfixable animal welfare consequences, both during lengthy sea journeys and in importing countries where fully conscious slaughter is common. No amount of regulation can fix these issues that have caused considerable and unacceptable animal suffering. A phase out is also what the majority of Australian citizens want, regardless of where they live. Legislating an end date in this term of Parliament is vital to ensure the phase out occurs; to avoid prolonged uncertainty for Australian farmers; and to advance Australia's international reputation through improved animal welfare policy.

We therefore ask the House to legislate the date, within the 47th Parliament, to phase out live sheep export from Australia by sea within the shortest possible timeframe.

from 43,758 citizens (Petition No. EN5323)

Petition received.

It is completely understandable that the Australian community is now calling for certainty when it comes to how and when this cruel and out-of-date industry will cease. And, having campaigned with my community and worked consistently in this place to see the back of a marginal trade that involves acute and endemic animal welfare failure, I absolutely support that call.

Last week the 7.30 program revealed that, despite the regulatory system that is supposed to guarantee the humane treatment of sheep, thousands of animals have been subject to crude, agonising, backyard slaughter. It's just the latest sickening revelation about an industry that has produced a conveyor belt of atrocities over the years—an industry that has never taken responsibility for those failures and instead has fought sensible regulation and, at every turn, blamed those who reveal the truth.

This industry has declined 92 per cent since the turn of the century, without any manifestation of the doom-and-gloom predictions about job losses or flock size reduction in WA. Instead, there has been a surge in high-value chilled and frozen meat exports.

It's past time for this trade to end. The Albanese government is taking responsibility for managing that transition through the excellent consultative work of Minister Watt. This RSPCA petition, with more than 43,000 signatures, calls for a legislated timetable as the next step in a careful but resolute process to end the— (Time expired)