In short:
- Live sheep exports by sea will be phased out over the next four years, after laws banning the trade passed parliament on Monday.
- Earlier in the day, opponents met with the prime minister to request a Senate inquiry into the legislation.
What’s next?
- WA Premier Roger Cook says he will continue to negotiate for additional support for farmers affected by the laws.
Sky News and other similar conservative whinge rags are already posting the anti-Labor and anti-Greens headline as a response.
Personally I think its great news. Keep the value add in Australia (processing), and remove the cruelty of long ship travel followed by questionable processing practices in other countries.
Its been a long time coming. The sentiment of the rest of Australia has only grown in this direction as the terrible animal treatment in other countries and the arguments for deepening of our own economic value adding processes have strengthened.
Farmers had over a decade since the last serious push for them to set up a different business model themselves and they haven’t as an industry done it.
Its time government stepped in to provide the new direction for the industry and finally take heed of the wider Australian moral sentiment about the treatment of our animals in these circumstances.
And it’s not like they’re being pushed out the building. There are transition packages, support payments. They’re getting a LOT in the process.
Even if the coalition decides to reopen the trade, any sensible business will stay clear because the next labor government will shut it again.