Acting PM Michael McCormack insists live exports must continue as Bill Shorten calls for suspension

AUSTRALIA’S Acting Prime Minister Michael McCormack has hit back at a Liberal MP’s plan to phase out live exports, while Bill Shorten has called for the practice to be suspended immediately.

OPPOSITION leader Bill Shorten has called for live sheep exports to the northern hemisphere to be immediately suspended until a government review is completed.

It follows growing pressure from both sides of government to end the trade after the “disturbing” footage of shipments to the Middle East were made public.

“I felt sick to the stomach when I saw the vision. Only a monster would think it’s fine for this to continue without any change,” Mr Shorten said today.

His comments came after Acting Prime Minister Michael McCormack insisted that the industry must continue during an appearance at the National Press Club.

Former Liberal minister Sussan Ley announced today she would introduce a private members’ bill to phase out the trade.

“I want to see this live sheep trade permanently cease,” Ms Ley told Sky News.

“We have to lift our eyes; we have to focus on what is really happening and we have to recognise that these exporters have had years, if not decades, to clean up their act.”

Mr McCormack rejected the proposal, citing the repercussion of the Gillard government’s “kneejerk” decision to shut down the live cattle trade in 2011.

“I don’t believe that we should ban the trade holus-bolus,” he said.

“I do believe in live animal export, whether it’s sheep, whether it’s cattle, whatever ... and I believe there is a future for it.

“Not just for our farmers, but also for our nation. It brings export dollars into this country. It creates jobs, it creates opportunities.”

The Nationals leader agreed the footage was “disturbing” and “appalling” but said Agriculture Minister David Littleproud was taking action to raise standards and potentially impose higher penalties for exporters who fail to follow the rules.

A distressed sheep on-board a ship from Australia to the Middle East. Source: Animals Australia

Mr Shorten called for the immediate suspension of live sheep exports to the Middle East until the government released its review.

“We believe the review is unlikely to conclude the northern summer trade is sustainable but we will honour our commitment to await its findings,” he said.

“Until that happens, northern summer shipments of sheep not already beyond the farm gate should be suspended.”

The Opposition leader also urged the government to adopt Labor’s plan to appoint an independent Inspector General of Animal Welfare.

“We are absolutely open to working with the Government on bipartisan reforms, but it’s not acceptable to allow deaths and shocking mistreatment to occur just because we are waiting for a report to be handed down.”

He said the review must address the need to reduce stocking densities for sheep, increase access to water, improved waste management standards and increase the minimum number of crew with experience in caring for animals.

MCCORMACK FAILS TO CONDEMN GAY CONVERSION THERAPY

In his National Press Club address, Mr McCormack also failed to condemn the discredited practice of gay conversion therapy which health authorities and the United Nations have warned is potentially harmful.

The Nationals leader has previously come under fire for vilifying homosexuals and declaring himself a homophobe in editorials he wrote as a newspaper editor 20 years ago.

He declared his views had changed when the editorials emerged in March after he replaced Barnaby Joyce as party leader, blaming the scaremongering about AIDS at the time for his views.

Today, Mr McCormack was asked during his appearance at the National Press Club in Canberra whether he condemned the practice of gay conversion therapy now or if he thought there was value in making it available for people who wanted to access it.

The Acting PM, who is filling in for Malcolm Turnbull while he is attending the CHOGM meeting in London, did not condemn the practice but said he had “not really looked into it enough to really make a view on it one way or the other”.

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Acting Prime Minister Michael McCormack during his address at the National Press Club in Canberra. Picture: AAP

“I certainly will, but it’s not something that I have really explored,” he said.

“I have to say that the people in my community are ... more interested in making sure that there are jobs there, making sure there’s downward pressure on cost of living.

“Sure it’s important for those people that it affects, I understand that, it is important, but it’s not something that I have really ... put too much time into it.”

Mr McCormack said he had been busy getting up to speed on his new portfolios of infrastructure and transport in the six weeks since being in the role.

He told the reporter who asked the question, he would look into the issue and give him a considered response.

Conversion therapy, a pseudoscientific practice which aims to change an individual’s sexual orientation, has been widely condemned by medical professionals.

The United Nations Committee Against Torture has also previously expressed concern about the discredited practice, which has been tied to depression and even suicide.

It flared as an issue in Australian politics this week after it was revealed members of the Victorian Liberal party had proposed debating a motion to allow doctors to offer the practice at the upcoming state Liberal party conference.

Victorian Liberal Party president Michael Kroger stepped in on Monday to ban the motion

to allow doctors to “offer counselling out of same-sex attraction or gender transitioning” from being debated.

Health Minister Greg Hunt then clashed with an ABC journalist in a bizarre interview about the proposal on Tuesday afternoon.

BARNABY JOYCE GETS FREE REIGN

Meanwhile, Barnaby Joyce has been given free reign by his successor to speak his mind from the backbench despite the damage it could potentially do the government.

Mr McCormack was asked at the press club whether Mr Joyce’s recent tweets and comments, including calling on Mr Turnbull to resign by Christmas if he can’t turn around opinion poll results, were tenable into the future.

It followed Mr Joyce’s most recent remarks that he was wrong and “naive” to previously oppose a Royal Commission into banking.

“We have always had, you know, people in the National Party not frightened to speak their mind,” Mr McCormack said.

Barnaby Joyce sitting on the backbench in Question Time. Picture: Kym Smith

“The beauty about the Liberal and Nationals is if you cross the floor, indeed I crossed the floor once, you don’t get expelled from the party.

“We’re not the robotic slaves of the union movement or any other movement.

“We are allowed to speak our mind. We are in a country where free speech is exercised.”

Mr McCormack said Mr Joyce would contribute “mightily” to the National Party in the future but he did not comment on whether the former Deputy PM would make a return to the frontbench.

He said Mr Joyce was a “fantastic leader” whose legacy would endure.

Originally published as Acting PM Michael McCormack insists live exports must continue as Bill Shorten calls for suspension