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| Labor calls for independent animal welfare agency after live cattle bludgeoning | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Labor has called for an independent office for animal welfare after video footage emerged of animals being bludgeoned to death with sledgehammers in Vietnamese abattoirs. | Labor has called for an independent office for animal welfare after video footage emerged of animals being bludgeoned to death with sledgehammers in Vietnamese abattoirs. |
| The cattle industry has suspended trade with the three abattoirs but both the government and opposition have ruled out banning the live cattle trade. | The cattle industry has suspended trade with the three abattoirs but both the government and opposition have ruled out banning the live cattle trade. |
| Animals Australia secretly filmed the mistreatment of cattle at the abattoirs, revealing tied-up animals struggling to get away from men wielding sledgehammers and at least five cows being bashed in the skull. | Animals Australia secretly filmed the mistreatment of cattle at the abattoirs, revealing tied-up animals struggling to get away from men wielding sledgehammers and at least five cows being bashed in the skull. |
| Related: Cattle 'exported from Australia' killed with sledgehammer in Vietnamese abattoir | Related: Cattle 'exported from Australia' killed with sledgehammer in Vietnamese abattoir |
| The agriculture minister, Barnaby Joyce, said his department began investigating the mistreatment one day after the activist group handed over preliminary evidence. | The agriculture minister, Barnaby Joyce, said his department began investigating the mistreatment one day after the activist group handed over preliminary evidence. |
| Joyce told ABC TV on Thursday: “We will not be banning the live cattle trade.” | Joyce told ABC TV on Thursday: “We will not be banning the live cattle trade.” |
| Joyce was an outspoken critic of the suspension of the live cattle trade to Indonesia by the Gillard government in 2011 after similarly graphic footage of animal cruelty emerged. | Joyce was an outspoken critic of the suspension of the live cattle trade to Indonesia by the Gillard government in 2011 after similarly graphic footage of animal cruelty emerged. |
| In a statement, Joyce labelled the footage disturbing and “totally abhorrent”.“Anyone viewing this footage would be shocked and upset at the mistreatment and we are taking these reports very seriously,” he said. | In a statement, Joyce labelled the footage disturbing and “totally abhorrent”.“Anyone viewing this footage would be shocked and upset at the mistreatment and we are taking these reports very seriously,” he said. |
| Animals Australia have said the cattle are identifiably Australian, but Joyce said their country of origin was not yet clear. | Animals Australia have said the cattle are identifiably Australian, but Joyce said their country of origin was not yet clear. |
| Speaking on 3AW on Friday, Malcolm Turnbull, said it appeared the abattoirs were not licensed for Australian cattle and cattle were sent there in breach of our rules. | Speaking on 3AW on Friday, Malcolm Turnbull, said it appeared the abattoirs were not licensed for Australian cattle and cattle were sent there in breach of our rules. |
| “It absolutely is [unacceptable]. We have very very strong animal welfare standards. We condemn animal cruelty, full stop,” he said. | “It absolutely is [unacceptable]. We have very very strong animal welfare standards. We condemn animal cruelty, full stop,” he said. |
| Animals Australia has called for the agriculture department to be stripped of its regulator role, saying it was “hopelessly conflicted” with its duty to promote the live cattle trade.“Nobody can claim they didn’t know this was happening – the exporters knew, the department knew and the minister knew,” Animal Australia’s campagin director, Lyn White, said in a statement.“Some exporters think they are above the law and they have good reason to.” | Animals Australia has called for the agriculture department to be stripped of its regulator role, saying it was “hopelessly conflicted” with its duty to promote the live cattle trade.“Nobody can claim they didn’t know this was happening – the exporters knew, the department knew and the minister knew,” Animal Australia’s campagin director, Lyn White, said in a statement.“Some exporters think they are above the law and they have good reason to.” |
| The shadow infrastructure minister, Anthony Albanese, said the revelations show the live cattle export industry needs stronger rules. | The shadow infrastructure minister, Anthony Albanese, said the revelations show the live cattle export industry needs stronger rules. |
| “We need an independent office of animal welfare. We need to make sure that this does not happen. Australians are horrified by what they have seen,” he told Channel Nine. | “We need an independent office of animal welfare. We need to make sure that this does not happen. Australians are horrified by what they have seen,” he told Channel Nine. |
| The opposition agriculture spokesman, Joel Fitzgibbon, said: “Events like this these will damage public confidence in live exports.” | The opposition agriculture spokesman, Joel Fitzgibbon, said: “Events like this these will damage public confidence in live exports.” |
| He criticised Joyce for opening up new live export markets too quickly.“[Joyce is] putting the regulatory system under enormous stress and when you do that, problems emerge,” he told ABC radio on Friday.“Barnaby Joyce needs to start taking responsibility for his failings.” | He criticised Joyce for opening up new live export markets too quickly.“[Joyce is] putting the regulatory system under enormous stress and when you do that, problems emerge,” he told ABC radio on Friday.“Barnaby Joyce needs to start taking responsibility for his failings.” |
| At his regular doorstop on Friday the Coalition campaign spokesman, Mathias Cormann, said he did not believe Australia needed an independent animal welfare agency to oversee live exports. | At his regular doorstop on Friday the Coalition campaign spokesman, Mathias Cormann, said he did not believe Australia needed an independent animal welfare agency to oversee live exports. |
| “We have a very robust regulatory framework in place here in Australia and in terms of our trade relationships,” he said. | “We have a very robust regulatory framework in place here in Australia and in terms of our trade relationships,” he said. |
| The innovation minister, Christopher Pyne, said “unfortunately ... you can’t control every human being and how they behave”. | The innovation minister, Christopher Pyne, said “unfortunately ... you can’t control every human being and how they behave”. |
| “We don’t just turn a blind eye. We follow our cattle wherever they go in the world,” he said. | “We don’t just turn a blind eye. We follow our cattle wherever they go in the world,” he said. |
| “When something goes off the rails as it clearly has in these three abattoirs in Vietnam, we suspend exports to them. And launch a proper investigation and there will be consequences.” | “When something goes off the rails as it clearly has in these three abattoirs in Vietnam, we suspend exports to them. And launch a proper investigation and there will be consequences.” |
| Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council chair Simon Crean said he would take “every step” to stop any exporter found to be breaching strict guidelines from supplying to Vietnam. | Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council chair Simon Crean said he would take “every step” to stop any exporter found to be breaching strict guidelines from supplying to Vietnam. |
| “I’m shattered. I mean, you look at that – it’s inexcusable,” he told ABC. | “I’m shattered. I mean, you look at that – it’s inexcusable,” he told ABC. |
| But Crean said sledgehammering would continue even if Australia stops exporting live cattle. “I want to stop it, but you’re only going to stop it with Australia in the trade.” | But Crean said sledgehammering would continue even if Australia stops exporting live cattle. “I want to stop it, but you’re only going to stop it with Australia in the trade.” |