Sheep live export ban – cattle next?
24 May 2018
Archived article
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Sir – 1 Territory Party does not support a ban of the live export of sheep nor cattle.
Yesterday’s announcement of the mothballing of the Livingstone Abattoir (owned and operated by AACo), located out of Darwin, says it loud and clear.
There is only one market available for a large percentage of cattle produced in the NT, Northern Queensland and the Kimberleys and that is the live export market.
The Bill as introduced by MP Susan Ley of the Liberal Party to “ban the live export of sheep from Australia” is the thin edge of the wedge for the NT live cattle export market.
The Liberal Party are acting with a knee-jerk reaction on behalf of animal activists. We have seen before in 2011 in the Northern Territory when Labor, the Greens with the ABC came together to ban live cattle exports.
Are Territorian’s now faced with the same experience for the live export of cattle?
Ms Ley is not alone. Labor, the Greens and some crossbenchers will support the Bill next Monday in Parliament.
That is, Northern Territory Labor MP Luke Gosling, MP Warren Snowden and Senator Malarndirri McCarthy will all be told to vote to support a ban on the live export of sheep.
No need to ask where they stand on the live export of cattle. The last time the Australian Labor Party was in power Federally, they banned the live export of cattle and NT Labor (in power at the time) supported that ban too.
The Northern Territory cattle industry should be very concerned. They know they can’t trust Labor, the Greens or the ABC and now they can’t trust the Liberals.
1 Territory feels for those workers who very soon will not have jobs. Hopefully they will be able to take up employment in other areas of the NT pastoral industry and not have to leave the NT.
1 Territory supports the growth and development of the live export of sheep and cattle in conjunction with best animal husbandry techniques and improved regulatory controls for animal welfare and international trade.
Braedon Earley (pictured)
President
1 Territory Party