The Greens have significant and ongoing concerns about the cruelty inherent to the live export trade, including the well-documented impacts of heat stress on sheep and cattle during voyages from Australia, and experiences in destination countries. Australians have been shocked by revelations of thousands of animals dying from heat stress and overcrowding on ships and overwhelmingly want this cruelty to end. Animals continue to die on live export ships. The live export industry should be shut down.
For any charge on the export of dairy cattle, all funds raised, including co-contributions from the government should be allocated directly to animal health and welfare initiatives, and not for marketing and profitability. All animal health and welfare initiatives, including research, should be undertaken transparently, with regular public reporting and appropriate oversight.
Recommendation
Recommendation: That all funds raised by the dairy cattle export charge, including co-contributions from the government, be allocated directly to animal health and welfare initiatives, to be undertaken transparently, with regular public reporting and appropriate oversight.