Australian Greens Animal Welfare spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that the reported winding back of the ban on live sheep export to the Middle East during the Northern Summer will result in completely avoidable animal death and suffering.
Senator Faruqi said:
“Sheep will suffer and die because of this decision. It is a betrayal of the animals and all those who fought hard for the Northern Summer ban just a few short years ago.
“While it certainly wasn’t perfect, the Northern Summer ban clearly did provide some protection to Australian sheep from terrible heat stress and mortality.
“Veterinary and animal welfare experts have repeatedly confirmed that voyages carrying live sheep to the Middle East during the Northern Summer cannot be supported.
“Yet again, the government is folding to their mates in the live export industry for whom profit will always trump animal welfare.
“I find the timing of this decision very devious given the current Senate sat for the last time on Wednesday and now we will not have the opportunity to disallow the regulations before the new arrangements commence.
“Polls repeatedly show that a clear majority of Australians want to see an end to live export. Instead, the government has decided to ramp it up on the eve of an election,” she said.
