| I feel such emotion as I write the following words, ‘we did it’. Legislation to bring the live sheep export industry to an end has just been passed in the Senate. This is the moment we have been hoping for – that we have worked so hard for. This is a moment for us to savour. As you know so well, this historic outcome for animals has taken many years, in fact decades, of our lives to achieve. In the face of great challenges, our resilience was tested time and time again, but we ‘stayed the course’, because our hearts would not let us do otherwise. It was long ago that our ancestors named the four legged woolly creatures who grazed peacefully together, ‘sheep’. Back then, no-one could have foreseen that these gentle animals would be subjected to an industry that would unite people across a vast continent to plead, on their behalf, for mercy. Nor could we have known the number of years it would take for governments to heed our calls for compassion. But that momentous day has finally come. |
| WATCH: In this brief video Shatha and I reflect on this momentous day. |
| On this historic day, it is so very important for me to acknowledge those who have helped achieve the passage of this legislation. To Dr Jed Goodfellow and Dr Bidda Jones from the Australian Alliance for Animals and Dr Suzie Fowler and Joanne Webb from RSPCA Australia – thank you so very much. Your public advocacy and political lobbying over the past year has been exceptional. The voices of Dr Lynn Simpson, and Dr Sue Foster and her team at Vets Against Live Export have been critical in providing scientific evidence and expertise to the calls to end live sheep export. So too my heartfelt gratitude goes to Stop Live Exports for their decades-long superb frontline work protesting and representing the sheep in WA – with a special ‘shout out’ to Katrina Love. To my own team at Animals Australia who have led the campaign to end live sheep export over the past two decades – shining light on the suffering of exported sheep year after year – you have been magnificent. Over so very many years, it was politicians such as Andrew Wilkie, Melissa Parke, Lee Rhiannon, Mehreen Faruqi, Josh Wilson and Sussan Ley who spearheaded debate on behalf of live exported sheep in parliament, ensuring they were not forgotten. To each and every MP and Senator who gave these animals their voice, we will be forever grateful. And to the Albanese government – and crossbench MPs – the first government in Australia’s history to recognise our societal responsibility to animals, we applaud you and we thank you. |
| So very many learnings have flowed from this journey together. First and foremost is the extraordinary power of compassion to bring like-hearted people from all walks of life together. It was compassion that led my life path to intersect with Fazal Ullah’s. Without Fazal’s extraordinary courage, Australians would not have witnessed the unimaginable suffering that had been occurring on sheep ships over many decades. I would not have met Shatha Hamade had our hearts not united in service to exported sheep. There were so many moments, when faced with great suffering in animal markets and slaughterhouses half a world away, that we made silent commitments to our sheep that we would be their voice. I am so very glad that those promises have been fulfilled today. And the truth is, I would not have ‘met’ you, and had the privilege of witnessing your amazing strength of heart, had it not been for our shared compassion for these animals. I know I have been changed forever through this journey together, and I suspect you have been too. It has challenged us to become more, to do more, to care more. And you magnificently accepted that challenge. Words could never adequately express my gratitude to you – for every email and letter you wrote, for every protest you attended, for every investigation you funded. From my heart to yours… thank you. This day would not have come, had it not been for you. Today, with the passage of this unprecedented legislation, history has been made. And we are one step closer to that kinder world that awaits us all. For the sheep, |
  Lyn White AM Director of Strategy |
Fantastic News – I personally know how long and hard anti live export work is.
Mega congrats to all those who reached this triumphant day !
And also especially to our own Patron Phil who has personally made this a major issue.
Regards Mark
World Animals Voice 