Live Export

Second live export licence cancelled

Beef Central, 05/09/2018

THE Department of Agriculture and Water Resources has cancelled the livestock export licence of a second exporter, EMS Rural Exports Pty Ltd, following a show cause process.

Under the Australian Meat and Livestock Industry Act 1997, the Secretary of the department has the power to cancel an export licence in cases where a licence holder is an associate of a person or entity which has had their livestock export licence suspended or cancelled.

EMS Rural Exports Pty Ltd is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Emanuel Exports Pty Ltd and is an associate of Emanuel for the purposes of the Act. Emanuel Exports had its export licence cancelled by the department on 21 August.

Cancellation of a licence is a serious step that is only taken in the best interests of the industry and for the protection of Australia’s high standards on animal welfare, the department said in a statement.

As the department noted when the Emanuel licence was cancelled last month, it is the responsibility of each exporter to ensure it meets the clear requirements under the legislation that governs the export of livestock. This includes providing complete and accurate information to the regulator as to how regulatory standards and licence conditions will be met and have been met.

The department said it would not provide further comment on either licence cancellation at this stage.

The department is now actively considering applications from other potential exporters to the Middle East against the strict requirements of the legislation.

In addition, it is considering further changes to conditions that will apply to the export of sheep to the Middle East once the northern hemisphere summer has ended.

These changes will carefully consider recommendations made by Dr Michael McCarthy in his review of the conditions for the export of sheep to the Middle East during the northern summer.

The cancellations follow the release earlier this year of disturbing live export shipment footage featuring dead and dying sheep sourced by Emanuel Exports on Middle East-bound vessels. The footage has sparked government reviews, legislation and changes in shipping standards for Middle East sheep shipments during the northern summer period. Emanuel is Australia’s largest exporter of live sheep.

The latest cancellation comes as Livestock Shipping Services is considering a sheep shipment this month and after Rural Export and Trading (WA) Pty Ltd, the Australian subsidiary of major importer Kuwait Livestock Transport and Trading, has applied for an export licence.

Please explain: PGA

Today’s second license cancellation has prompted a call for an explanation to sheep producers from the Pastoralists and Graziers Association of Western Australia.

The department’s failure to offer a specific explanation to WA producer groups for the two licence cancellations has angered PGA president Tony Seabrook.

“It is unreasonable that a large reputable company like Emanuel that occupies 75 percent of the space in (live sheep) exports out of Western Australia to lose both its licences and get absolutely no explanation as to what they’ve done,” he said.

“They have been a large and reputable company that has exported a huge number of stock from Western Australia over a very long period of time and knocking them out of the market place in the way that they’ve done it is going to cost the people I represent a very large amount of money.”

Mr Seabrook believes the WA sheep industry is due a “please explain” from the department.

“Not from Emanuels, but from the government, because it is all very well for them to say ‘we’re going to take down the rogues and get rid of the ratbags’, well that’s fine.

“But there are a lot of farmers who are very dependent upon Emanuels as a company for their business and it’s like going to a dairy company like Murray Goulburn and saying ‘we’re going to shut you down’,” he said.

“There are implications to what they’re doing and it is going to hurt a lot of people.”

Emanuel said it will appeal today’s decision to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

 

 

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Comments

  1. Peter Vincent, 06/09/2018

    As if any Australian who hasn’t been living under a rock requires further proof that the exporter’s licenses should be cancelled!

  2. chris hughes, 05/09/2018

    As stated in an earlier comment the Daws family of Emanuels and EMS have been in the live sheep export industry for around 60 years. They single handedly developed the trade into Kuwait and have maintained it over many years.
    Previously as a fellow livestock exporter the EMS operation was always highly professional and their exports were undertaken with the highest degree of expertise.
    It therefore begs the question of what single action or occurrence warranted the cancellation of both their livestock export licenses. A further question that should be asked is what was the Commonwealth veterinarian doing?
    I regard it as a travesty that such a good operator can be struck off and no real reason given.

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