Israel and Australian PMs’ wives in talks on live export concerns

The wife of Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu is to discuss her concerns over live animal exports with Lucy Turnbull.

Lucy Turnbull with Sara Netanyahu in 2017. Picture: Getty Images

Australia and Israel will soon enter talks over the welfare of animals during live sheep exports after the wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said she would discuss her concerns with Lucy Turnbull.

Mrs Turnbull and Sara Netanyahu have exchanged emails since Mrs Netanyahu uploaded a video on her husband’s Facebook page decrying the cruelty of Australia’s live export trade. The Weekend Australian understands Mrs Turnbull told Mrs Netanyahu about the Australian government’s response to live export breaches as outlined by Agriculture Minister David Littleproud.

More than 84,000 sheep were exported from Australia to Israel last year. But live export has been controversial in Israel since at least 2016 when Animals Australia worked with animal protection groups in Israel to campaign against the live export trade.

The same year, an Israeli cross-party parliamentary committee condemned the live export trade and Israel Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel said he would find ways to limit the number of shipments from Australia.

Mr Netanyahu made his own statement yesterday, saying Mrs Turnbull had contacted his wife as the Turnbull government conducted a review of Australia’s live sheep export trade.

The review was announced last week by Mr Littleproud after it was revealed about 2400 sheep died on a ship bound for the Middle East late last year. Footage of the inhumane conditions aboard the ship, contracted by Australian company Emanuel Exports, shocked Australians and caused outrage.

The sheep died from heat stress on the MV Awassi Express, a ship used by Western Australia-based Emanuel Exports. Then on Monday, the same ship, which was about to take 65,000 sheep to the Middle East, failed inspection and Australian Maritime Safety Authority officials said it had to improve before it was allowed to sail.

The Weekend Australian has been told that Mr Littleproud and Mr Ariel will soon discuss Australia’s response to live export breaches.

In his remarks, Mr Netanyahu acknowledged that his wife’s comments the day before had “struck waves in the country and in the world and came to Australia”.