14 June 2011
Despite the Gillard Government now being fully aware of the brutal treatment that Australian cattle will receive in Indonesian slaughterhouses and being inundated by Australians calling for them to halt the trade to Indonesia, they are allowing a further three shipments of cattle to depart for Indonesia in coming days.
"A shipment left Darwin yesterday for Indonesia and another two shipments are due to commence loading in Broome today. This is absolutely disgraceful and makes the Gillard Government directly complicit in animal cruelty," said Animals Australia Cruelty Investigator Lyn White.
"The first thing that Minister Ludwig would have asked this week is what shipments were on the water for Indonesia and what were due to leave. He should have seen that the industry was stockpiling cattle in Indonesia, fearful of the political repercussions of the Four Corners programme."
Four of the largest livestock ships that ply the Australian trade and usually go to the Middle East just happen to be in Indonesia at the moment. Two other shipments departed yesterday and another two are loading today.
"By allowing animals to be rushed onto these ships the Gillard Government is now responsible for condemning up to thousands of more animals to a cruel and brutal death in Indonesia," said RSPCA Australia Chief Scientist Dr Bidda Jones.
"Up until now the Government could use the excuse that they didn't know, but this is no longer available to them. They are now complicit in supplying animals to cruelty. It is unforgivable that they would allow further shipments of cattle to leave our shores knowing that they will be terrorised, brutalised and even tortured in Indonesian slaughterhouses."
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