Agriculture Minister David Littleproud has called for a review of the standards for live sheep exports after witnessing "deeply disturbing" footage of sheep suffering in extreme heat aboard a ship from Perth to Doha.
The minister was provided with the footage by Animals Australia, and said he was "shocked and deeply disturbed by the vision" and ordered an urgent investigation. He has since announced a four week review to allow action on recommendations before sheep are sent to the Middle Eastern summer from Australia's winter.
“This will be a short, sharp review looking into the standards of the northern summer trade [to] give confidence in those boats and the standards in which those sheep go to the Middle East,” the minister said.
“I've asked Dr Michael McCarthy, a pre-eminent vet who has experience in the export industry, to undertake that review. I spoke to Dr McCarthy this morning and he believes he'll be able to get that done well within the timeframe because of his experience in the industry and researching it.
“It's important we take decisive action because it’s the livelihoods of farmers and their family at stake. It'd be great if the live export industry led on this issue and had already taken strong action by the time this review comes back.
"If I have to drag them kicking and screaming, I will, but I'd prefer they led and proved to the Australian people they are serious about cultural change," the minister said.
Last year, 12,377 sheep exported from Australia died in transit, from a total of1.74 million – a mortality rate of 0.71 per cent, according to Fairfax Media.
