BREAKING: live export bill PASSES Senate

That’s right, Mark. Just hours ago, a majority of Australian Senators voted to bring an end to Australia’s cruellest trade. This is a historic day.

In Australia, getting a bill like this passed is a two-step process. We’ve jumped the first hurdle, and there’s now only one thing standing in the way of this bill becoming law — the Morrison government.

To be passed, the government must allow the bill to be brought to a vote in the House of Representatives. The new Morrison Government is refusing to do so. Why? Because they fear that some of their own will ‘cross the floor’ and vote with the Australian Labor Party and crossbench members to pass the bill.

When he became Prime Minister, Scott Morrison promised he would govern for the people. Yet, by preventing this bill from being brought before the parliament, he has blatantly disregarded the will of most Australians who want live export cruelty to end.

This is far from over, Mark. With Labor committing to end the live sheep trade if they win the next federal election, today’s events officially make live export a powerful voting issue.

We’ve taken huge steps forward for animals in this journey. Back in 2011, when another live export bill was voted on in Canberra, only two Members of Parliament — Adam Bandt and Andrew Wilkie — voted in favour of animals. Opposite them in the parliament, casually chatting as if they were deciding on nothing more important than what to have for lunch, sat everyone else. In stark contrast, today — not only was a bill passed in the Senate, we also know that if the government allowed all Members of Parliament a vote on this issue, then those two compassionate politicians would be joined by scores of others.

Because of you, and other caring voices across Australia, it is no longer a matter of if this trade will end, but when. We are so close that it could have been today.

Mark, will you spare one minute now to tell your MP that when it comes to animal cruelty, Australians will not be silenced?

Let’s all remind our new Prime Minister of his promise to govern for the people. An end to live sheep export is only a vote away.

For the animals,

Lyn White AM
Animals Australia