It’s the day we’ve been waiting for

A long awaited victory; but not quick enough !

We want to send congratulations to Lyn and our friends at AA on getting this amazing result. Being a UK live export campaigner for 35+ years I personally know the immense amount of work that is needed to achieve results such as this.

All the time you are speaking for them, your mind never distracts from the continual suffering to the animals that this trade brings. Without doubt, Australian live exports are probably the biggest nut of all nations to get victory over in this sordid trade.

We all want an immediate ban, but in this instance the head rules over the heart. Despite our feelings; it has to be accepted that ‘meat’ in some form will continue to be exported from Australia. As we say in the UK, better on the hook than on the hoof ! – sadly the process of killing animals will not stop, but the suffering on the ships will. In the next few years there will be a lot of things that need to be addressed by both Australia and the states they currently export to; a change from meat on the hoof to that on the hook. New slaughterhouses may need to be built in Australia to process the animals; and maybe methods with all involved to store and export meat by refrigeration. It is not what I want to see and probably what you all do not want to see; but it will happen; animals will be killed as always but they will be saved immense suffering on shithole rust buckets as they currently are. A large cruelty chunk of the puzzle will be removed; and that is something I at least welcome.

Going veggie or vegan for sure is the way forward and the way to reduce this suffering. Every rust bucket livestock carrier that ends up going for scrap is a real positive as far as I am concerned; it is every time, another nail in the coffin and another page written to put this disgusting abuse of animals into the history books.

Well done and big congrats to everyone who has showed year of tenacity to get this news today,

Regards Mark

PS – check out a lot more about our live export investigation work; by visiting our old Serbian stray dog site at https://serbiananimalsvoice.com/about-us/

I wanted to write to you this evening to express the most heart-felt ‘thank you’.  Today, because of our combined efforts, we now know the date that the live sheep trade will end.  Australian Agriculture Minister, Murray Watt, announced this morning that the live sheep trade will, after some 60 years of operation, end on May 1st 2028. Importantly, the Minister also announced that this end date will be legislated in this term of government. While of course we wish it was sooner, we also recognise and respect the need to consider all who may be affected by this historic decision. Considering the decades of dedicated effort and advocacy behind today’s announcement, it is understandable that some doubted whether this trade would end in their lifetime. Now we know with certainty that it will. We can now count down towards the day that the last sheep shipment will leave our shores. And that is why, aside from my great relief at this announcement, I am filled with overwhelming gratitude to you Diana. Truly, this day would not have come without you.  You supported our investigations. You refused to get disheartened. You achieved something extraordinary: you convinced an Australian government that animals deserved better and that an industry that had long enjoyed political support, should be concluded. We now know beyond any doubt, that so powerful is human compassion, it can make the seemingly impossible, possible.  The resilience so needed to stay the course was born of compassion. The courage we needed on the most difficult days was fuelled by compassion. The commitment to write letter after letter to politicians was driven by compassion.   To witness together a government decision based on compassion for animals, is, I am sure you will agree, a momentous day.  A day to long savour. Please remember your part in this, as I always will.

My deep appreciation today also extends to our colleague groups for their exceptional efforts that ensured the animal protection sector spoke for Australian sheep with a strong and united voice. They have been magnificent. And it is so very appropriate that I also mention my wonderful colleague, friend and co-investigator Shatha Hamade. My time as an investigator in the Middle East had to come to an end, as my face had become too well known. When Shatha joined Animals Australia, it was as our lawyer, not an investigator. Yet she didn’t hesitate to say ‘yes’ when I told her she was needed. Since then, as you know, Shatha has given her heart and soul to being where Australian sheep have needed her to be. And finally, my gratitude goes to Fazal Ullah, the crewman, who in witnessing the suffering before him, chose to act, rather than accept. We will all be forever grateful for this young man’s courage. It is so very clear that today’s historic announcement has been the result of a team effort like no other.  Thank you so very much for the critical part you have played. For the animals,

Lyn White AM Director of Strategy

Related Live Exports:

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/?s=live+animal+exports