The livestock export industry and the Federal Government have moved to assure the Australian public that the recent inhumane cull of Australian animals at the hands of Pakistani authorities, graphically depicted on ABC Four Corners last night, was an extraordinary circumstance and not reflective of the vast majority of the trade.

Australian livestock industry statement

Australian livestock industry groups including the Australian Livestock Exporters Council, the Cattle Council of Australia and the Sheepmeat Council of Australia issued the following statement following last night’s program:

“The Australian livestock industry is united in their condemnation of the cruel and inhumane treatment of Australian sheep, unnecessarily culled in Pakistan, as seen tonight on ABC’s Four Corners.

“The conditions under which this cull of healthy Australian sheep was performed are extremely distressing and appalling, which is why the livestock export industry has already taken decisive action to voluntarily suspend exports of sheep to Pakistan and Bahrain.

“The incident in Pakistan was unprecedented and occurred under exceptional circumstances, and a full investigation is currently being undertaken by the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

“Most importantly, the welfare of animals is of paramount concern to the Australian livestock production and export industries. Australia is the only country, of the more than 100 countries across the world that export livestock, which actively works in overseas markets to help improve animal welfare conditions. If Australia was to stop exporting livestock, global animal welfare standards would unquestionably decline.

“Significant animal welfare improvements have been made in approved facilities across Australia’s livestock export markets in Asia and the Middle East though the implementation of the new animal welfare regulatory regime – the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS) – which now covers 99 percent of Australia’s livestock exports and will cover 100 percent by the end of 2012. We continue to work with the Australian Government on delivering animal welfare outcomes through the ESCAS system established by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and his Department.

“The supply of Australian livestock ensures hundreds of thousands of households across Asia and the Middle East have access to essential and affordable protein. This was highlighted by the Federal Government’s Asian Century White Paper, which showed Australia’s important role in providing food to Asia’s growing population. We strongly believe that the livestock export industry is a critical element of this.

“The livestock export industry also plays a vital role in supporting jobs throughout regional Australia – particularly in the northern and western parts of the country. The livestock export industry contributes 13,000 jobs, including more than 11,000 jobs in rural and regional Australia, and wages and salaries totaling almost $1 billion annually.

“It is important that Australia continues to be a part of the live export trade, continuing in its role as a world leader in the delivery of positive animal welfare outcomes at the same time as delivering jobs, prosperity and growth in communities across the country.”

Federal agriculture minister Joe Ludwig statement

Federal agriculture minister Joe Ludwig said that what occurred in Pakistan was “very distressing, and was an isolated incident and is not a reflection of the trade as a whole.”

“There is a system in place to investigate any supply chain breaches that occurred and take appropriate action.

“The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry as regulator is already examining footage as part of its investigation.

“This investigation would not have been possible prior to the reforms introduced to the live animal export industry by this Government last year.

“The exporter, industry and Government have remained transparent in regards to this issue and will continue to do so.

“More than 1.5 million animals have been exported to live export markets under Australia’s new Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System that puts animal welfare at the heart of the trade.

“The Government regulates the live export trade, but this is a commercial industry.

“It is the responsibility of Australian exporters to ensure supply chain assurances are followed.

“I understand the industry has already imposed a voluntary suspension of sheep exports to the market.

“It is not in the exporters’ interests to send animals into supply chains that don’t meet the standards the Australian Government and community expects.

“Australia leads the world in animal welfare practices – especially in the live export trade.

“Government and industry has built and implemented a system that sets a high standard internationally. We continue to engage with international bodies and trading partners to advocate better animal welfare standards.

“The community has legitimate expectations about animal welfare, and Government and industry has taken significant steps to address them.

“There are some in the community who simply do not want this trade to continue, regardless of the steps we take. I am not one of them.

“This Government will continue to support the live export trade and all those who rely on it.

“Anyone with evidence of mistreatment of animals in live export markets should make that evidence available to the regulator, DAFF, for investigation.”

DAFF statement

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry released the following statement following last night’s program:

“DAFF understands and shares the community’s concern about the recent events in Pakistan outlined on the Four Corners program on 5 November.

“These events have been very distressing to everyone involved in this issue.

“DAFF has commenced an investigation to see if there were any breaches of the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS) and will make the results of the investigation public when it is completed.

“We do not know the reasoning behind the Pakistan authority's decision to cull the sheep in Pakistan or their choice of the method used. We continue to hold that both the decision and the method used were unnecessary.

“Everything possible was done by the exporter and the Australian government to unload the animals in their original destination – Bahrain. Following ongoing delay in the unloading of the sheep in Bahrain, the exporter decided to redirect the sheep to an alternative destination in Pakistan citing possible adverse animal welfare outcomes.

“DAFF assisted by fulfilling all of its regulatory responsibilities in relation to animal health and welfare.

“These responsibilities included confirming and certifying that the sheep met all of the Pakistani government’s import requirements for live sheep. They also included verifying that the animals would be placed into a supply chain that met Australia’s stringent animal welfare requirements.

“Despite the strenuous efforts of the exporter and the Australian government officials over a considerable period of time it is clear that the sheep were not processed through the approved supply chain nor were they handled to international animal welfare standards.

“DAFF’s investigation will consider these unfortunate events and recommend any compliance action that will need to be taken.

“As well as investigating the incidents surrounding this consignment we are also analysing the risks highlighted by these events and continually improving our regulatory requirements.

“We will also continue to work closely with industry, animal welfare groups and our trading partners to maintain Australia’s reputation for high animal welfare standards and build public confidence in the trade.

“Despite this tragic event it’s important to remember that Australia remains the only country amongst over one hundred livestock exporting nations that regulates the animal welfare of livestock destined for export from paddock to point of processing.

“Over one million sheep and 500,000 cattle have been exported under ESCAS since its introduction last year.”

Animals Australia

On its website Animals Australia is calling for live exporter, Wellard, to lose its export licence for its contribution to what it has described as Australia's worst live export disaster..

"How did it happen? When a shipload of 21,000 sheep was rejected by Bahrain, Wellard had no legitimate contingency plan (despite this being a requirement of their export permit). They considered two options: 1. Kill the animals at sea and dump their bodies overboard; 2. Pakistan — a country that didn't even have government approval to take sheep when the ship left Australia.

"To avoid another disaster at sea, the Australian government fast tracked Pakistan's approval to receive the sheep. But there was a glaring omission in this plan. Wellard failed to ensure that the Pakistan Government were willing to import a shipment that had been rejected by Bahrain over disease concerns.

"Whether the animals were healthy or not became irrelevant — the Pakistan Government felt they had been deliberately deceived. Local authorities ordered the animals be culled, and Wellard lost complete control. Deemed 'unfit' for human consumption, and without economic value, these animals were treated like worthless rubbish. Animals were dragged, beaten, their throats were sawn at with blunt knives before they were thrown into mass graves — some still alive hours later.

"The Australian government has admitted that it's beyond their control to prevent another 'Pakistan'. MOUs with importing countries, to prevent shipments being rejected, have failed. Regulations to prevent cruelty on the scale seen in Indonesia last year, have failed.

"What is profitable has never been the defining argument between right and wrong in any civilised society. It is offensive to the majority of caring people that profit continues to be used as justification for a trade that has been responsible for such suffering and cruelty.

The group is urging its members to contact their federal MP and foreign affairs minister Bob Carr and shadow foreign affairs minister Julie Bishop to call for Wellard to lose its export licence for its role in this disaster.

RSPCA statement

"Tonight ABC’s Four Corners focuses once again on the terrible risks of the live export trade to Australian livestock.  The in-depth investigation describes the ordeal of 21,000 Australian sheep that left Australian shores in August 2012, only to be rejected by Bahrain and then brutally culled in Pakistan.

"This recent debacle is yet another chapter in a long history of shipments of live sheep being rejected and is a clear sign that this trade isn’t worth the risk.   

“These animals were originally destined for Bahrain, part of the Middle East trade that has been fraught with problems in the past – live export issues in the region date back to the 1980s,” said RSPCA Australia CEO, Heather Neil.

“Many will remember the tortuous voyage of the Cormo Express in 2003 that began with the rejection of 57,000 sheep by Saudi Arabia.  A shocking 6,000 sheep died on board while the vessel floated around the Persian Gulf for 2 months before finally offloading the remaining sheep in Eritrea.

“The Cormo Express incident led to the development of written agreements (MOUs) with importing countries and a requirement for contingency plans in the case of future import disagreements.

“Over recent months two shipments were rejected from Bahrain, cattle were transferred from one ship to another in the middle of the Red Sea and cattle were held in a feedlot in Egypt for an extended period while their health status was reviewed.

“Despite the implementation of two different systems meant to protect further shipments of live animals to this area, these measures have failed to protect Australian animals.

“This is proof that no scheme or agreements can fully safeguard the welfare of animals exported live for slaughter. No matter how much industry or Government involvement there is, the live export of animals for slaughter presents an unacceptable level of risk for the animals and is inherently cruel.

“The many, many incidences that have plagued this trade are proof that humane live export of animals just isn’t possible.

“Live export is a senseless trade – from both an animal welfare and economic perspective – and planning for a future without it is in the best interests of Australian animals and a sustainable livestock industry in this country.”