AUSTRALIAN livestock exporters say they have renewed their focus on continuing to develop world-leading supply chain systems and maintaining global competitiveness following the industry’s annual national conference, LIVEXforum, held in Canberra last week.
The event, jointly hosted by the Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council and LiveCorp, provided a timely forum for debate around regulation, accountability and profitability.
ALEC chief executive officer Simon Westaway said the conference confirmed the industry was well placed to meet the wide range of economic, social and political issues facing the sector.
“There’s absolutely no room for complacency in the live trade,” Mr Westaway said.
“Exporters know they need to be on the front foot in terms of retaining existing supply chains and developing new markets.
“LIVEXforum has left us with little doubt that the challenges around market access, regulation, profitability and supply chain integrity are dynamic and ongoing.
“But whatever challenges we face, Australia continues to play the leading role in the global livestock export trade. We back ourselves in the provision of a product and service which is without peer across any of the other 100-plus livestock exporting countries around the world.”
Conference guests included assistant minister to the deputy prime minister, Luke Hartsuyker, and shadow agriculture minister Joel Fitzgibbon. Leading animal welfare researchers Professor David Mellor and Dr Teresa Collins also participated, as did RSPCA Australia chief executive officer Heather Neil.
The conference’s gala dinner raised $43,500. This year ALEC and LiveCorp elected to support rural charity Royal Far West and 17-year-old Lily Mackett, who sustained severe injuries when she was struck by a car in Dubai earlier this year.
Lily’s father, Joff, is Meat and Livestock Australia’s livestock services manager for the Middle East and North Africa and is a highly respected member of the livestock export industry.
LiveCorp chief executive officer Sam Brown said that as a result of the accident, Lily required a full-time carer, interim nursing, ongoing therapy and expensive mobility equipment.
“The tight-knit exporter community is renowned for uniting to help worthy causes and this year is no exception,” he said.
“The funds we’ve raised will enable the Mackett family to offset some of the considerable ongoing costs incurred from Lily’s injuries. These are such tragic circumstances, but it is wonderful to see that exporters have dug deep to support Joff and his family.
“We’re also rapt to raise money for Royal Far West and were delighted that the charity’s CEO, Lindsay Cane, could join us at the dinner. Royal Far West’s commitment to the provision of health and education services to children in rural and remote areas provides much-needed support to isolated families, including those involved in our industry as livestock producers.”
