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Australian livestock trade
Resources
Animal welfare groups in Australia and New Zealand
PACAT – the website of the Australian group People Against Cruelty in Animal Transport, which focuses exclusively on the live export issue.
Animals Australia's "Death Files" – Animals Australia is an umbrella group for the main animal welfare groups in Australia. Their ‘Death Files’ provides detailed information on export statistics and fatalities.
Australian RSPCA on the livestock trade – Australia’s RSPCA takes a somewhat more relaxed view of the Keniry Report, but nevertheless campaigns for an ultimate end to the trade and for its replacement by a chilled/frozen meat trade.
SAFE - the New Zealand animal welfare organisation – although our campaign’s focus is specifically on the Australian trade, New Zealand also exports to the Middle East. New Zealand animal welfare organisation SAFE has a good fact sheet on sheep export.
Humane Society International - the Australian branch of the Humane Society International has a fact sheet on live export and an ongoing 'Action Alert' to encourage supporters to write to the appropriate Australian Government ministers.
Animal Liberation Victoria - the website of campaigning group Animal Liberation Victoria. ALV is a vegan organisation that campaigns on issues surrounding domestic and farm animals.
Live Export Shame - Perth-based campaigning group focusing on the live export trade.
European websites
Compassion in World Farming – Compassion in World Farming is the other leading UK campaigner on this issue. Their background briefing notes, although compiled in 1996, unfortunately remain just as relevant today. A useful outline of the reasons why this trade is morally and ethically abhorrent.
The Guardian – a report from the archives of The Guardian during the height of the Cormo Express fiasco.
Animals' Angels - the findings and recommendations of the German Animals' Angels teams investigating exports of cattle from Australia to the Philippines.
Australian media
Melbourne's "The Age" newspaper – Melbourne-based daily broadsheet. Key the words live export or Cormo Express into the archive search engine to get a flavour of the Australian people’s attitude to the trade.
"The Australian" newspaper – requires subscription to access full archived news stories, but nevertheless the headlines and introductory paragraphs that are available free-of-charge make interesting reading.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation – the website of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation has an excellent archive of live export-related stories.
NineMSN's 60 Minutes– a video of the 60 Minutes documentary ‘Making a Killing’, shown on Australian television on 27 July 2003, is available here. Please note that this contains very disturbing material. See also the full transcript of the second 60 Minutes report on live export.
Other useful websites
Australian Livestock Export Corporation – the official website of the Australian Livestock Export Corporation provides export statistics. It also attempts to ‘explode myths’ and justify the trade. Look through it, look through the other suggested resources, then make your own mind up.
Australian Agriculture Minister Warren Truss – the archived press releases of Australian Agriculture Minister Warren Truss. The Minister’s comments on the Cormo Express disaster appear from 28 August 2003 onwards.
The Keniry report – the Australian Government’s official review of the live export industry. Recommendations include government regulation of the trade, closer control on the issue of export licences and stricter veterinary control – in short, stricter rules, but no end to a trade which allows animals to be penned and left standing in their own droppings for weeks at a time!
Western Australian branch of the Meatworker's Union – the website of the Western Australian branch of the Meatworker's Union gives the point of view of the thousands of workers in the Australian meat industry who have lost jobs due to live export.
Dr Temple Grandin – the website of Dr Temple Grandin of Colorado State University gives an excellent overview of the welfare issues affecting animals during transport, and also includes information on humane slaughter. Being an American site, it refers only to transport by land and not by sea, but nevertheless provides useful background information on the physical and physiological effects of transporting animals.
Kuwait Livestock & Trading Company - the website of the Kuwait Livestock & Trading Company, owners of the Al Kuwait, Al Shuwaikh, Al Messila and Al Khaleej. Note that they are marketing ready-prepared frozen meals, burgers, sausages and frozen meat joints, which rather negates the argument that all meat for consumption has to be freshly slaughtered.
