In May Andrew Wilkie, MP, presented the Live Animal Export (Restriction and Prohibition) Bill 2013 to the Australian Parliament. It was his fourth attempt to ban live exports or at least impose stricter animal welfare.
He also asked the Prime Minister Julia Gillard during question time to ban live exports or personally guarantee there would no further abuses as seen in Indonesia, Pakistan Egypt, Kuwait, Israel and Turkey.
He held up a photo of Jacob, an Australian animal with its eyes gouged out and its tendons sliced in Egypt.
In reply Prime Minister Gillard said she was against animal cruelty and yet refused to act and so let the cruelty continue. It was hardly the way one would act if against animal cruelty and who (like her) had seen visual evidence of such barbarous cruelty.
The live export business only represent 5 per cent of the total Australian beef industry. Without live export more jobs would be created but the government has not acted to either cease export or properly police the welfare of Australian animals sent to overseas countries.
The reports of cruelty, mostly submitted by Animals Australia, have depicted horrendous torture and killing of cattle and sheep. Most of the Australian electorate want live exports banned but the Australian Government has so far failed to act. Prime Minister Gillard and her team had the chance to make world history but it looks like they have blown it. The Opposition LNP has also said it will not ban live exports.
One thing is for sure. Australians will not surrender to the wiles of politicians, will not give up, will not be silenced and one day this evil and cruel practice will be banned.
Hopefully also people in those offending nations will learn more respect for animals and treat them with the decency and compassion they deserve even in a death that is unnecessary for man has no need to eat his fellow beings.
