Two years ago this week, legislation to phase out live sheep export passed the Australian Senate and failed by just two votes in the Lower House.
Two votes was all that stood between the industry and its unceremonious legislative demise.
The immediate review of the trade, led by experienced live export vet Dr Michael McCarthy, found it was time "for the industry to come together as a whole, and place a much stronger emphasis on animal welfare and move away from measures that use mortality as a benchmark."
The embattled industry expressed willingness to embrace the need for cultural change, to better align with community expectations in the interests of a more sustainable trade.
It proposed a three month moratorium on exports during the hottest period of the Middle Eastern summer as part of its "industry re-set".
The Department of Agriculture formalised this in law following extensive consultation, seeking independent expert advice and canvassing all possibilities, eventually agreeing the trade should not be permitted during the period of 1 June to 14 September, as nothing could be done to mitigate extreme heat stress during the voyage when ambient temperatures in the region exceeded the animals' heat thresholds.
The recent voyage of the Al Kuwait with 33,341 sheep under a special exemption granted by the Department provides a telling case in point.
Upon completion of the voyage, the exporter was quick to hail the consignment a success as it recorded only 28 mortalities (although curiously, the master's report noted 155 less sheep disembarking the vessel).
But the subsequent release of the Government's summary Observer Report reveals a very different story.
It noted that during the voyage 12 per cent (approximately 4,000 sheep) experienced Level 3 heat stress, described by the Australian Government as "open mouth panting", "laboured respiration" and "extreme discomfort".
Even worse, around 3pc (or 1,000 sheep), suffered the highest heat stress, Level 4, "severe heat stress" with "open mouth panting with tongue out", "extremely laboured" respiration, and "distressed" demeanour.
These images are reminiscent of the horrific footage from the notorious Awassi Express voyages that shocked Australians including many farmers across the country.
While it's true that fewer animals died on the Al Kuwait, a voyage that records severe heat stress in several thousand of its passengers cannot be considered a "success" under any measure of animal welfare.
The facts are, despite all the additional conditions placed on the Al Kuwait - at a reported cost of $120 per head to the exporter - including significant reductions in stocking density, wool length requirements, additional selection criteria and stockpersons, the animals still experienced unacceptable levels of heat stress.
This is why the Northern Summer Order was introduced, and why it must remain in place.
Two years ago, the industry promised change. It said animal welfare, not death rates, would form the basis of its approach moving forward.
Pushing to wind back improvements and return to sending Australian sheep deeper into the height of the Middle Eastern summer sends a very worrying message about the industry's commitment to reform.
Now more than ever is the time to be embracing change, not fighting to go back to old ways.
