18 August 2011
RSPCA Australia today said the Federal Parliament’s decision to vote down legislation that would have ended live export was bitterly disappointing and completely out of touch with the wishes of the Australian community.
RSPCA Australia CEO Heather Neil said if MPs had been allowed to vote with their conscience rather than along party lines Australia would today be celebrating an end to the cruellest trade this country has ever known.
“MPs cannot shy away from the fact that a vote for live export is a vote for animal cruelty. Every year Australian animals are sent to countries where laws do not protect them from cruelty. The vast majority are slaughtered while fully conscious.
“Right now there are 67,000 sheep stranded on a livestock vessel for the 9th day in Port Adelaide in just the latest in a litany of problems at sea that have plagued this trade since it began. Today our parliament voted for all of this to continue.”
Australia’s peak animal welfare body said despite today’s result, a very big step had been taken towards the ultimate end of the live export trade.
“It has never been clearer that the live export industry cannot be trusted and will do and say anything to justify supplying animals to cruelty.”
The RSPCA welcomes today's commitment by Independent MP Andrew Wilkie and Greens MP Adam Bandt to continue this fight by working towards new legislation.
Animals Australia today released more evidence, recently obtained in Turkey. It revealed once again that horrendous slaughter practices in importing countries are routine.
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