Live sheep exports: more footage aired alleging regulation breaches

Footage allegedly showing live sheep animal welfare breaches has been aired, as the independent panel formed to phase out the industry prepares its report to government.

More undercover footage showing Australian sheep allegedly being sold and slaughtered in Oman outside of animal welfare protocols has been aired.

The timing of the footage going public could not be worse for the Australian live export industry, as the panel advising the federal government on a phase out of the live sheep export trade prepares to make its final recommendations.

An independent panel is expected to hand its final report to federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt no later than September 30.

The ABC aired the footage – taken by Animals Australia lawyer Shatha Hamade on June 28 – on August 28.

Live sheep exports to the Middle East on-board the Al Shuwaikh. Picture: Supplied

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry announced on June 21 it was investigating allegations made by the animal protection organisation that sheep exported to Oman were observed being sold outside the approved Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System.

A DAFF spokesman said that, at that time the allegations were made, it had taken regulatory action requiring two Australian exporters to implement stronger control arrangements, extra surveillance, and additional reporting for the sheep that were already in Oman.

“The benefit of ESCAS is that it allows for the identification of problems, and for them to be dealt with,” the spokesman said.

“No further exports of Australian sheep have occurred to Oman since the alleged incidents.”

However, while he added that while the department was “taking this matter seriously”, “no regulatory system can ensure that there will never be an incidence of noncompliance.”

The department is considering further regulatory action against the relevant exporters to “address risks identified through its ongoing investigation of this matter.”

Animals Australia claimed it has made over 70 legal complaints to DAFF in the 11 years the ESCAS regulations had been in place.

A statement issued by the Australian Livestock Exporters Council said it considered the DAFF investigation “entirely appropriate” as part of a strong regulatory system.

“Australia is the only country in the world, out of over 100 that export livestock, that has regulations seeking to manage the welfare of livestock,” it said.

It also recognised that while “no system is perfect”, ESCAS has “improved animal welfare” in sheep, goat and cattle markets, “contributing to a net improvement in animal welfare globally.”

“This policy will cause irreparable damage to the businesses of Western Australian farmers and to Australia’s longstanding friendship with our Middle Eastern trading partners,” it said.