The RSPCA says the Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council’s (ALEC) submission to the McCarthy review shows a worrying but predictable lack of understanding of the gravity of the current situation, and is further proof the industry cannot, and will not, reform.
The RSPCA’s comments come after ALEC released the details of their recommendations on how the systemic cruelty of the live export industry could be addressed.
Despite lofty promises of ‘cultural change’ and ‘sweeping reforms’, the submission promises nothing beyond existing regulations.
This includes a vague agreement to an ‘independent observer’ on ships, as well as the temporary 17.5 per cent stocking reduction that’s currently being required by the Federal Government, and which has no basis in science or evidence.
Dr McCarthy is not conducting original research: the evidence is already available and the facts are already clear.
The RSPCA describes the submission as embarrassing and unbelievably out of touch, and says it’s increasingly clear live export companies are not taking the community’s expectations, nor the industry’s need for a social licence, seriously.
The failure of the live export industry to accept its catastrophic failings and respond to overwhelming community outrage leaves the government with no acceptable choice but to enforce major changes with a view to scaling down and phasing out live sheep exports.
The RSPCA has reiterated its science-based position, which is to halve stocking densities and stop May to October exports immediately, as part of a plan to phase out live sheep exports in favour of an expanded trade in chilled and frozen meat.
Tens of thousands of Australians are continuing to express their fury over live exports at liveexport.rspca.org.au/take-action
Ryan Fritz
Ryan Fritz started The Advocate in 2014 to provide not-for-profits and charities another media platform to tell their worthwhile hard news stories and opinion pieces effortlessly. In 2020, Ryan formed a team of volunteer journalists to help spread even more high-quality stories from the third sector. He also has over 10 years experience as a media and communications professional for not-for-profits and charities and currently works at Redkite, a childhood cancer charity.
