ANIMALS Australia has hit back at claims by the Pastoralists and Graziers Association (PGA) that it took a letter from the farm lobby group regarding a closed abattoir system, out of context.
In last week's Farm Weekly, it was reported that Animals Australia had put forward a proposal on closed systems to LiveCorp, Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) and the Australian Live Exporters Council (ALEC) and had the support of the PGA.
While the animal welfare group would like to see an end to the live export trade, in the interim it wanted a closed system implemented to ensure animals are not onsold to individuals and are only slaughtered at one abattoir under international control.
PGA president Rob Gillam last week denied the organisation supported Animals Australia or the implementation of a closed system and said the group had taken a letter written by former PGA livestock committee chair Tim D'Arcy, out of context.
This week Animals Australia executive director Glenys Oogjes said she was disturbed at Mr Gillam's comments and denied that they had used the PGA letter out of context.
"It is deeply disturbing that Rob Gillam and the PGA would seek to deny that last year they supported Animal's Australia's proposal for a system that would stem the worst abuses meted out to Australian born sheep in the Middle East," Ms Oogjes said.
"Animals Australia has not taken the letter from the PGA response out of context.
"Former PGA livestock committee chairman Tim D'Arcy wrote that "... our Association support that such arrangements (closed systems) should be pursued as outlined in your proposal".
"He also said it had merit and was a constructive way forward for the live export of livestock to the Middle East region.
"By now rejecting this proposal they are clearly sacrificing their responsibility to protect the welfare of animals born on Australian soil then shipped half way around the world to countries without animal welfare laws and known daily transgressions of humane standards.
"I cannot imagine the PGA's farmer members feeling comfortable knowing that their representatives and the live export industry leaders have rejected a perfectly logical proposal which would see their animals go through approved facilities in the Middle East."
Mr Gillam said he stood by the comments he made last week and Ms Oogjes had voiced her displeasure with the two sharing a "spirited conversation".
"When Tim D'Arcy wrote that letter he obviously expected Animals Australia to go into consultation and come back to the PGA as to whether or not there was some possibility there," Mr Gillam said.
"If Animals Australia was willing to enter into some agreement that may have seen a different method of distribution in the Middle East, then perhaps they should come back and say that they're happy to have the live export industry as long as you reform the other end of it.
"But of course, they won't agree with that at all.
"We honestly believe that they have used the letter out of context and used it to suit themselves."
