[Greens-Media] Greens Urge SA Ban on Live Export

[Franks, Office]

Embargoed until Saturday September 29th



The Greens have urged the Weatherill Government to take action to ensure South Australian animals are banned from involvement in the live export trade and not subject to the brutal treatment recently exposed in Pakistan.



Greens Animal Welfare spokesperson Tammy Franks MLC speaking at the Live Export Rally today at Parliament House (from 11.30am) will re-iterate her call for the State Government to take action to immediately ban South Australian animals from being exported alive for slaughter overseas.



"While the sometimes month-long journeys are bad enough to see hundreds of animals die aboard, often from starvation, we have sadly seen time and time again horrific examples of cruelty occurring once the animals arrive at their destination.



"Whilst we quite rightly demand humane standards in the slaughter of animals in our own backyard and ensure our own animal welfare practices are consistent, compassionate and humane, any such guarantees are sadly lacking once livestock leave Australian shores.



"The appalling cruelty that Australians now understand is part and parcel of this horrific trade has graphically been demonstrated again - just this week - with thousands of Australian sheep stranded in Pakistan being slaughtered in a manner that would disgust and horrify even those familiar with the trade.



"The Greens have previously moved to ensure we act independently to cease all live exports from South Australia of sheep and any other animal for slaughter to Indonesia and other markets, particularly the Middle East.



"South Australian jobs and the economy in general will benefit by ensuring we invest in assisting local farmers and meat processing facilities to restructure their operations and facilities to deal with an expansion in local slaughter to replace previously live exported animals with chilled and frozen products.

"Over the last 20 years, the Australian Meat Industry Employees Union (AMIEU) has identified some 150 meat processing plants in regional and rural Australia which have closed, with the loss of up to 40,000 jobs. In 2010 alone the AMIEU estimated 1000 jobs were lost as a direct consequence of the live export trade.


"Banning live exports will actually benefit the economy in general and boost jobs with economic analysis showing a 20% increase in benefit to the Australian economy when animals are processed locally. Live export could actually cost the Australian economy as much as $1.5 billion in lost GDP and around $270 million in household income," Ms Franks concluded.


WHAT: Tammy Franks Speaking at Rally Against Live Exports
WHERE: Parliament House Steps, 11.30am, Saturday September 29th

For further comment please contact Jamnes Danenberg 0457 549 938