Animal welfare laws: anger as Barnaby Joyce plans to exempt Saudi Arabia
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Version 0 of 1. Animal welfare groups are furious the federal agriculture minister, Barnaby Joyce, plans to exempt Saudi Arabia from Australia’s animal welfare laws, allowing live exports to the country to resume. Saudi Arabia will not accept the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (Escas), which places responsibility for the welfare of livestock on the exporter, right up to the point of slaughter. But Joyce wants to resume trade with the oil-rich nation and is considering exempting it from Escas because, he says, all slaughtering facilities are government-owned and well run. A spokesman said the minister had not yet initiated anything with Saudi Arabia but “wants to find a way to do it”. RSPCA Australia said it strongly urged Joyce to change his mind, saying his planned move would endanger Australian animals. Its chief executive, Heather Neil, said 57,000 Australian sheep were rejected by Saudi Arabia in 2003, leaving them stranded at sea for three months, causing thousands to die. “This is not a destination that can be trusted to ensure adequate animal welfare practices will be met,” she said. “Giving special consideration and exemptions for one country is a slippery slope back to the horrors we saw in Indonesian abattoirs in 2011. What’s to stop others from bullying Australia into the same thing? “Escas was put in place following the exposure of systemic animal cruelty and immense public outcry. It is the bare minimum that should be required.” Animals Australia’s campaign director, Lyn White, said Joyce had bowed to wealthy export companies and betrayed the trust of the Australian people who were promised tough regulations to protect animals. “If Minister Joyce concludes this ‘deal’ he will be telling the world that our animal welfare and ethical standards can be bought and dismantled if enough money is on offer,” she said. The independent MP Andrew Wilkie said an exemption would be the first step in undoing the modest animal welfare reforms of the previous parliament. Wilkie accused Joyce of being beholden to “his mates in that tiny part of the red-meat industry which exports livestock”. Joyce is being sought for comment. |