United call for an end to live sheep exports

Oct 13, 2010

WSPA has joined representatives from across the political, meat processing industry and animal welfare spectrum at a press and public event, held in the major live sheep export town of Fremantle in WA, to call for an end to live sheep exports.

At the press conference Jessica Borg, Campaign Manager for WSPA spoke of the overwhelming public support for an end to live exports. A new Galaxy opinion poll has revealed that 79% of Australians believe live sheep exports are cruel. In addition, 86% agree that the Government should phase out live sheep exports if there’s an alternative that saves Australian jobs.

Melissa Parke, Federal member for Fremantle spoke about the advantages of phasing out the live export trade: “Ethical considerations aside, the live sheep export trade is simply bad business. If we carefully phase out the live export trade in a way that maintains sheep producer revenue and supports our local processing industry the economy as a whole will ultimately benefit, as will our reputation as a progressive nation.”

The Australian Government is currently supportive of live exports, an industry where around 40,000 sheep die in ships en route to the Middle East every year. Those sheep that survive the journey go on to be slaughtered inhumanely, in countries that do not meet Australian and international standards of welfare.

At the public event close to 250 people demonstrated their support for an end to live exports by creating a sea of red chains at the Fremantle town hall.

Jessica Borg said: “This chain, WSPA’s Humane Chain, represents the 83,500 members of the public who have already supported our campaign. We’re calling on all Australians to visit www.humanechain.org and help protect Australian animals and promote Australian jobs by phasing out this cruel and unnecessary trade.”