THE live export debate has flared up again, with a number of State and Federal politicians becoming involved in the issue and attending a forum held in Fremantle last week.
The forum was organised by animal welfare groups Stop Live Exports and the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA).
A crowd of about 200 people attended the forum, which was headed up by a largely one-sided panel of speakers including Fremantle mayor Brad Pettitt, Greens MLA Lynn McLaren, Federal MP Melissa Parkes, State MP for Willagee Peter Tinley, Australian Meat Industry Employees Union federal president Grant Courtney, WSPA campaign manager Jessica Borg, Stop Live Exports campaign manager Jodie Jankevics and V&V Walsh Processors export and meat manager Paul Crane.
The politicians on the panel voiced their opposition to the live export trade, which is a direct contrast to the view of Federal Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig who recently declared his support for the industry and announced four new projects aimed at improving animal welfare outcomes in countries receiving Australian livestock.
Liberal Senator Chris Back, a qualified veterinarian who used to work in the live export industry, requested to be part of the panel, but was told by organisers that it was already full.
At the forum, Mr Back questioned the balance of the panel and the response he got was that they were not concerned with balance as that was not the purpose of the forum.
Stop Live Exports campaign manager Jodie Jankevics said the purpose was to inform their supporters and members of the general public who opposed the live export trade of the economic and employment impacts the trade had.
"Many abattoirs are laying off staff, or cutting shifts because they can't get access to stock," Ms Jankevics said.
"Basically live export is bad for jobs.
"The event was promoted and aimed at Stop Live Exports and WSPA supporters, who support an end to the trade, to give them more information on the negative impacts of the trade on our economy.
"In the past these events have focused on the animal cruelty aspect, so this was just an opportunity to present new information.
"Also, we made sure that Senator Back had an opportunity to make a comment, which he did."
Mr Back said the live sheep and cattle trade was an integral component of the nation's livestock industries and contributed significantly to the provision of foodstuffs in the Asian and Middle East regions.
He said the fact he was actively engaged as a veterinarian in the trade and did many trips to the Gulf, gave him confidence in supporting the industry.
"I have one advantage over those who criticise so stridently," Mr Back said.
"I have experience in this field and know what I am talking about."
Mr Back presented what he said were the actual facts about the live export industry, which included that Australia had world's best practice in livestock transport and had set new standards throughout the world.
He said there was a need for both chilled meat and live animals for the trade.
"As strange as it may seem to many Australians, clients are actually able to dictate what they want and they want our product in both forms," he said.
"If we do not export live animals to the trade, then our competitors will continue to supply that component of the trade and we will be denied many millions of dollars of revenue. In addition, the standards used by our competitors are not always world's best practice.
"Frozen meat is not always attractive to our markets - I have been in the UAE when major power outages have destroyed consignments of meat in chillers and freezers.
"A significant proportion of consuming families in the Middle East do not have refrigeration, so rely on daily purchase of fresh meat from their markets.
"Chilled meat is not an option for these people.
"Like Australians, they have preferences in the selection and presentation of their food products and, like us, they have the right to choice."
Federal member for Fremantle Melissa Parke said ethical considerations aside, the live sheep export trade was bad business.
She said an "independent economic report" revealed that a sheep processed locally was worth 20 per cent more to the economy than one exported live.
"It's high time we put a realistic plan in place to support rural economic growth," Ms Parke said.
"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."
Mr Back said the Acil Tasman report on the live sheep trade in WA was nothing more than a "desktop exercise and is discounted as a serious economic analysis."
He said the authors did not consult with any farmers involved in the trade nor the many thousands of people in WA who depended on the trade for their livelihoods.
Mr Back said the study should not be used to make any policy decisions on agricultural production in WA or any state.
"Independent analysis contends they have underestimated the cost to WA producers by at least fourfold," he said.
"For example, they have assumed the removal of the live sheep trade would have no impact on sheep prices for local processing.
"History tells a very different story."
Claims that sheep numbers have declined as a result of the live sheep trade were a complete fallacy, according to Mr Back.
He said farmers had reduced flock numbers in recent years as they were unable to get sufficient return to remain viable.
"Removal of the live sheep trade will further exacerbate this so there will be insufficient numbers to maintain a viable meat process industry here in Australia," he said.
"For farmers, this trade is an essential component of their business activity and provides an alternative market for different categories of animal production.
"Farming and rural communities are doing it hard.
"Denying an important component of production simply adds to their hardship.
"People try to humanise animal husbandry or management activities.
"This is not a logical argument."
