Time to stop live exports stereotyping

In a strongly worded opinion article, Mr Kemp has urged a more accurate and contemporary understanding of the industry, beyond superficial and clichéd media depictions that exacerbate the cultural divide between rural and metropolitan Australia.

His call for a more mature view of the trade comes as the NSW government moved to ban greyhound racing last week alleging the industry had lost its “social licence” after failing to address animal cruelty issues like live baiting.

Animal welfare issues in the Vietnam cattle market were also highlighted during the recent federal election campaign, and other concerns with the trade from incidents several years old pushed into the media by groups campaigning to ban the industry.

Mr Kemp said there was no denying Australia’s livestock export industry had again been put under the microscope in recent weeks.

But he said “the men and women of our industry are absolutely appalled by any inhumane treatment of any livestock – Australian or otherwise”.

“Unfortunately, it seems too easy for some of our critics to feed off the myth that our industry is comprised of greedy, faceless cowboy operators who exploit producers and livestock with reckless abandon, all beyond the reach of any form of effective regulatory control,” he said.

“Far too rarely does mainstream Australia get an insight into the real men and women working in our industry because on the rare occasion that metropolitan media shows any interest in the trade, its brief portrayal is quite clichéd and plays on outdated stereotypes of northern Australia’s cattle industry.

“Evidence of animal welfare failures, the likes of which seen in the past month with the release of Vietnamese abattoir footage, affects the entire livestock export industry directly.

“Exporters, producers and other livestock sector stakeholders take supply chain break-downs very seriously because it not only affects our businesses, but it also impacts on us personally.”

Mr Kemp said the suspension of live cattle exports to Indonesia in 2011 provided the federal government with an “earth-shattering lesson” on the dangers of having a one-dimensional view of an industry, like live exports.

He said “scant regard” was given to the wellbeing of the station families, stockmen, truck drivers and other professionals involved in the live export supply chain when the then Labor government made its snap-decision to close the trade.

Mr Kemp said notwithstanding the “massive” economic and human cost of that suspension, “one hopes the federal government has learnt from the experience and is now more circumspect when it comes to our multi-faceted modern industry”.

“One-dimensional views fuelled by stereotypes are dangerous, which is why exporters and cattlemen have worked hard in recent years to listen to the concerns of animal welfare groups and better understand community expectations,” he said.

“Sadly, this spirit of empathy often seems to be too much of a one-way street.

“Recent weeks have produced more compelling evidence suggesting too many members of the animal welfare lobby and city commentators continue to view both the live export trade and the northern cattle industry in far too simplistic terms.

“The most disappointing aspect of this imbalance arises when the lines between animal welfarist and journalist seem to be blurred.”

Mr Kemp said geographical distance, naivety and seemingly entrenched policy views seriously compromised the integrity of arguments put forward by media commentators.

He said comparisons between live export cattle and asylum seekers seemed “rather desperate and in poor taste”.

Mr Kemp said “howls of misguided outrage” about the lack of regulatory oversight and suggestions the live export industry and be simply replaced by domestically processed meat for export, “hardly warrant further comment” and have been “categorically disproven and debunked a thousand times”.

“No matter how many times we explain the framework of ASEL (Australian standards for the export of livestock) and Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS), or point out the lack of electricity and refrigeration in importer countries which underpins the demand for live animals, it seems the facts continue to fall on deaf ears,” he said.

“Another favourite argument, that Australia should follow New Zealand’s lead and ban live exports, overlooks the fact that NZ still exports thousands of breeding animals every year.

“Of course, NZ also lacks the advantages in supply, proximity to market and an in-country supply chain assurance system, which all combine to ensure the export of feeder and slaughter livestock from Australia makes economic and ethical sense.”

Mr Kemp said rather than helping to bridge the divide, media contributions that ignore the weight of evidence effectively drive a wedge between mostly metropolitan readers and rural Australia, especially in the north.

“It treats men and women working in the livestock export industry with contempt,” he said.

“Particularly appalling is the complete disregard for the thousands of professionally trained feedlot and abattoir workers in countries like Indonesia and Vietnam whose livelihoods depend on the humane treatment of Australian cattle in their care.

“The fact is that nothing excuses exporters from the full force of the law where there has been a deliberate contravention of the laws governing the trade.”

Mr Kemp said exporters understood any video footage showing animal cruelty called into question the industry “genuine efforts” to tighten supply chain controls.

He said critics often claimed animal welfare wasn’t a high cultural priority in Vietnam, but the regulatory and practical progress being made in-market, with Australian assistance and encouragement, was “compelling evidence to the contrary”.

Mr Kemp said exporters were also regularly self-reporting problems while investigating and resolving incidents which compromised supply chain integrity.

He said alongside the regulatory platform, the work of exporters, customers and their staff, including Australian and locally based animal welfare trainers, was having the biggest positive impact.

“Our people are our most valuable asset, which is why Australia has trained over 9000 people in handling and slaughter practices across 23 importer markets,” he said.

“Millions of dollars spent by exporters and our overseas customers in new infrastructure and equipment including stunners and restraining boxes is assisting in-market animal welfare officers and supply chain managers in overseeing the day-to-day wellbeing and welfare of exported livestock.

“We are playing a vital role in a sophisticated professional system which, while not perfect, exists in a class far above any of the other 100 livestock exporter nations’ supply chains.

“It should be at least acknowledged and respected by those speaking out against the trade; even if they don’t care about the world-leading role Australia is playing.”

Mr Kemp said his industry was not afraid of being part of the mainstream policy discussion and welcomed all-comers to participate in a well-informed ongoing conversation.

“We don’t shy away from scrutiny because we know a successful, sustainable livestock export industry goes hand-in-hand with providing leadership to improve animal welfare practices,” he said.

“Exporters are determined to openly address the concerns of all stakeholders, understand the in-market challenges and find common ground on solutions for continuing to support and ethical and economically viable animal welfare.

“While others in this debate employ other methods, we believe it is important to bridge the divide, rather than exacerbate it.”