                | Did you know?Since the 1970's the meatworkers union has opposed live exports on the basis of its destruction of Australian jobs, its inhumane treatment of the animals and the decimation of the meat processing industry. Since that time at least 25 export meatworks have closed in Australia and more are still closing at the present time. Processing plants in the top end of Australia have been decimated with only two remaining in operation at Townsville and Innisfall in Queensland, with sporadic kills at Katherine in the Northern Territory. The great majority of cattle in the Northern Territory are exported live. Australia exports 6 million plus sheep each year mostly to the Middle East. It is estimated by processors that with 6.6 million sheep exported last year this equates to 2,500 full time jobs if processed in Australia. If one such job sustains seven jobs in the wider regional community that means that 17,000 jobs are lost due to this trade. Processing plants are these days located in regional areas and the loss of jobs in these areas. Some where the processing plant is the major or the only employer in the town is catastrophic for both workers and the community. Instances of this in recent times have been Guyra, Aberdeen, Blayney, Yallah, Lismore and more recently, Forbes and Mudgee and that is only NSW. At Altona in Victoria around 800 jobs were lost when that plant closed two years ago and the situation is the same in the other states. The live export trade is seen to be stressful, cruel and tortures animals. Graphic footage of the suffering and torment of the animals has been shown on the media both at sea and worse at their destination. The Australian Meat Processing Industry is able to slaughter animals to the requirements of some 80 countries around the world and has done so for many years. The slaughter procedures in Australia are carried out, by regulation, in the most humane way possible. Australian meat workers, including halal slaughterers, are fully trained to carry out their tasks and to ensure humane handling of animals from the arrival at the works right through the procedure. All meat processors exporting to the Middle East employ halal accredited slaughterers who operate to the Islamic religious and slaughter requirements. The meatworkers union once again calls on the Federal Government to call an immediate halt to the export of Australian jobs and this obnoxious trade in animal misery. MEDIA RELEASE 29/9/03 Tom Hannan, Federal Secretary Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union More than 6,000,000 Australian sheep and 1,000,000 Australian cows, horses and goats are shipped to South East Asia and the Middle East every year, ALIVE? These animals are crushed together on ships for long sea voyages, taking weeks or months to arrive at their destination. They are subjected to heat stress, sea sickness, disease, injury, starvation, inadequate supervision and care, ammonia poisoning, on board fires, ventilation breakdowns, storms and rejection of shipments. In 2002, more than 73,000 sheep and 17,000 cattle died on board export vessels. Those who survive the arduous voyage suffer even crueler practices prior to slaughter. Instead of being herded onto wharfs, they are often thrown from the ship, sometimes landing 5 metres or more down into waiting trucks, or concrete loading bays. Those too ill to walk are winched by chains tied around their foreleg, or by crane-hook inserted into their chest. Often their eyes removed by human thumbs, leaving the suffering animal in enormous pain. Slaughtering finally takes place by slashing of the throat, and without prior stunning. These are methods that are illegal in Australia. You can lend you voice to stop this barbaric treatment of Australian sheep, goats, horses, camels and cows. LIVE EXPORTS must be stopped. Every voice will make a difference, so please lend yours towards this worthy cause. |