Government begins suspending cattle exports after Four Corners bombshell
After a furious public outcry the government has suspended live cattle exports to 11 Indonesian abattoirs, with more to come.
- Published by David Knox
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- Filed under News
The Federal government has responded swiftly to the devastating Four Corners story on the export of live cattle to Australia and ordered the suspension of live exports to about 11 Indonesian abattoirs.
The public response to the story by Sarah Ferguson was widespread and furious, online and on radio yesterday. The expose followed the work of activist Lyn White (pictured) and her quest to expose Australia’s role in barbaric slaughter practices in Indonesia, which saw animals beaten and enduring torturous deaths.
Yesterday MPs were inundated with phone calls. The Greens and independent Andrew Wilkie, with Senator Nick Xenophon’s support, produced separate bills for a full ban on live exports. 20 Labor MPs spoke out in a caucus meeting.
According to Fairfax reports, Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig’s initial response to the report was to order an inquiry and a moratorium on the installation of ”restraint boxes” on the animals.
But after pressure from government, Green and independent MPs, and a public outcry he has since identified 11 abattoirs that had been identified for suspension – with further suspensions ”certainly on the table”. He will also appoint an independent reviewer to investigate the supply chain for live exports, including the point of slaughter.
Animals Australia and the RSPCA called on the government to halt all cattle trade to Indonesia and to set an end date for all live exports. They also took a swipe at the export industry, saying it was aware of the cruelty.
The government may also extend the ban across Indonesia.
In the lead up to its 50th Anniversary, Four Corners has proven it is as relevant as ever.
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19 Responses
As difficult as it was to watch the inhumane cruelty inflicted on these poor animals I congratulate you Lyn White and four courners for exposing it to the world to see. It should be banned immediately there are no valid reasons or excuses for Australian farmers to send there cattle over for this type of suffering. And, for the animals that have already suffered to feed the bellies of humans I am sure there will be a karmic consequence.
Lyn White you personally are an absolute legend, Indonesians you make me sick to my stomach with your idiotic and barbaric inhumane ways of killing cattle, not just any but our Australian Cattle.. This needs to be stopped!
@ Craig – I watched an episode of that show you recommended: Kill it Cook it Eat it…..on you tube…. – and which ever way you look at it, it’s barbaric how they kill the cattle…..whether its inhumanely Or humanely…..Hope I don’t come back in my next life as a chicken fish or cattle!!p
I also watched the Four Corners program on the ABC and was profoundly affected by the horrendous images including the unnecessary cruelty inflicted on the animals in Indonesia.
The Islamic practice of Halal slaughter of animals is barbaric, cruel and beyond comprehension. According to this practice, the animal must be restrained and kept alive to hear words spoken from the Koran, it’s throat is then slit and allowed to bleed until it dies (can take some time), all the while facing Mecca!
In an article published in The Australian (1st June 2011, page 2), the owner of a halal butchery for more than 17 years in Sydney, states ” stunning of the animal is not a common practice in a halal slaughter as this could…freeze the blood in the meat, making the product non-halal”.
Perhaps we should be banning ‘Halal’ slaughter in Australia too!
Go to banliveexport.com and take action Now
I congratulate Lyn White, Sarah Ferguson and all their teams, along with Dr Bidda Jones from the RSPCA for bringing this story to the Australian public.
What they must have endured to get the footage we witnessed (and I hear they have even worse footage than what was shown in the Four Corners program), is surely akin to experiencing the horror of battle!
Their courage and determination to make this issue public is to be commended with the highest honour by our Nation.
Thank you to the Four Corners team, the RSPCA and Animals Australia for making a difference.
Salute
Michelle
One of the hardest programs to watch ever. But so worthwhile if change is the result.
Was unable to watch this as bought me to tears, the Government needs to take immediate action and no longer export to this country. Thank you Four Corners for bringing this horrific and nightmarish story to light…
Hopefully the screening of this program will bring swift action to stop the sending of live animals to Indonesia and any other country with similar practices.
As i have said on this story before society will have to ask itself, When is it going to be enough? HOw much are we as a society going to take this? Or are we simply going to comply or turn a blind eye because it makes money? Australian cattle farmers dont have to sell to Asia. What about europe, americas, New Zealand? Live stock exporting is barbarick but i also know that its just another way to make money and when you live in this materialistic world you need all the money you can get, the least the farmers can do is make sure that their Catle or other livestock are treated with respect and humanity. I wonder what the Indian community think of this iam sure they are horrified, considering they cherrish the bovine animals. Whilst i want livestock exporting banned, the reality is it wont be i think we can still have an industry that is humane and dignified.
A truly enlightening program, well done Four Corners!. Steve Price needs to pull his head in though. On The 7pm Project last night he made a comment & suggested that we shouldn’t ban any exports to Indonesia because of the $1 billion plus we/farmers make. It just goes to show how out of touch he is with the rest of Australia! Shame Mr Price, shame..
Just watched this on the Tuesday night encore.
ITA they need to improve the practices in Indonesian abattoirs and they should be humanly stunned, like here in Australia and most western countries.
But we have face it if we want meat on our dinner table then animals need to be killed.
This report proves once again that 4 Corners is far better than other news programs on the commercial channels.
I advice people to watch ‘Kill it, Cook it, Eat it’ on BBC Knowledge the one on Beef is this Sunday morning at about 3 am, check your EPG. It shows how cattle should be slaughtered and is just as graphic as the 4 Corners report.
This is one of the most shocking things I have ever seen.The systematic torture and slaughter of these animals is horrendous and should be unacceptable to any civilised person.Whilst some people may dismiss the suffering of animals,people have to realise animals have the capacity to suffer and feel pain just as humans do. therefore we,as humans have a moral responsibility to minimise their suffering.We exploit and enslave animals and destroy their habitat, the least any ethically minded person should demand is to minimise their suffering and stop the torture.
After listening to talkback radio I decided to watch online the story about cattle slaughter in Indonesia on 4 corners. Totally shocked!!! I nearly switched off….but decided that it had to be watched…I turned away many times….and thought about it many hours later. I could not believe that they had cattle watching the slaughter of their “mates” while waiting their turn. Totally appaulling…..if the Australian government does not ban the export of live cattle to Indonesia they have no balls!!!!!
it’s sad but it’s been more than likely been happening for years and years
Unbelievably vile treatment of the livestock, truly horrific, like something straight out of the bowels of Hell and very difficult to watch without crying. The practice should be discontinued, no question. Whilst I can understand the cultural and religious reasons behind the live export of our cattle to largely Muslim countries, the fact is that the cruelty with which the animals are treated is simply unacceptable to our sensibilities and we do not wish to be party to it. Either these countries buy the meat from us already slaughtered, or we do not deal with them.
Why were the hosts on the 7PM Project last night saying this happens in Australia too? If so, they really need to provide evidence of this.
Proof that quality journalism still exists and has the power to implement change An enlightening – and disturbing episode. Well done Four Corners.
It’s nice to see such action on such a worthy cause. Here’s hoping for an outright ban.