John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

There is no doubt that recent images from live animal export destinations in Asia and the Middle East have been very troubling and deeply disturbing to many Australians. I am certainly well aware of the extent of concern many Australians have about live animal exports and the fact that many of these concerns are ongoing. Of course, the government's policy on this matter is clear. The Australian government supports the export of livestock where acceptable conditions are maintained. The Australian live export trade is important. It supports jobs, it supports families and it supports communities across regional Australia.

Last year, following the evidence of animal cruelty provided to the government and to the ABC's Four Corners program by Animals Australia, the Australian government acted to temporarily suspend the export of all livestock for the purpose of slaughter to Indonesia. It was proposed that exports would resume when new animal welfare safeguards were established for the trade. Prior to the suspension, exporters of livestock to Indonesia were only required to track exported animals from their origin in Australia to the port of export and report on the outcome of the voyage to Indonesia. An industry-government working group and an independent review were established to develop a regulatory framework to address the areas of concern with the export of livestock to Indonesia. As we know, a new regulatory framework was established requiring exporters of livestock to Indonesia for slaughtering to supply evidence of an acceptable exporter supply chain assurance system before approval to export by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry could be issued. This decision reflects the recommendations of the Farmer review; I think all of those recommendations were accepted by the government.

In October last year the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry announced that the Australian government would extend the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System framework developed for Indonesia to all livestock exports for the purpose of slaughter by the end of 2012. The new framework is being implemented progressively in countries that receive Australian live animal exports. New regulatory arrangements of course applied immediately to Indonesia and Egypt. Tranche 1, effective from 1 March this year, covered some 75 per cent of the live export trade, including to Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Turkey. Tranche 2, effective from 1 September this year, covered 99 per cent of the live export trade, including to Israel, Japan, Jordan, Malaysia, Oman, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. Finally, tranche 3 will cover 100 per cent of live animal exports by the end of this year, covering the remaining markets such as Brunei, Mauritius, Russia and Vietnam.

With the support of industry, the new framework is being rolled out with, it seems, minimal disruption to trade. The new framework, the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System, requires exporters to provide evidence of compliance with internationally agreed welfare standards, demonstrate control through the supply chain, demonstrate traceability through the supply chain and meet reporting and accountability requirements, and it must include independent auditing.

The Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System regulatory framework for livestock exports provides, as we know, for the investigation of allegations of non-compliance and regulatory action. And this is happening. In fact, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry is currently investigating a complaint alleging that Australian live animal exports have been offered for sale and slaughter outside an approved supplier chain. It is my understanding that those investigations are ongoing and I note that in her speech earlier Senator Rhiannon was planning to await the outcome of those investigations.

The Australian government has worked closely with the livestock industry and state and territory governments to develop the new regulatory framework. It has engaged with our trading partners during the development of the reforms and intends to continue to work with them. I think it would be unrealistic to expect that there will be no more incidents of noncompliance again under the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System. But I think what is critically important is how incidents in the future are addressed and how we ensure accountability and transparency from exporters and their supply chains.

Reform of the live animal export trade has been a long time coming. It has been vitally important and it is vitally important for government to get the balance right between supporting this important industry, respecting the welfare of animals and giving the Australian community the confidence that our live export trade is world's best practice. I happen to be one person who believes, as a result of all these events over the past 18 months, that we are now much closer to achieving that very important balance.