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Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council welcomes the bill passing the House of Representatives for an independent Inspector-General of Live Animal Exports to oversee regulation of the industry

The Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council (ALEC) supports and welcomes the bill passing last week to establish the Inspector-General for Live Animal Exports. This legislation is further proof of this government’s continued commitment to supporting, sustaining and improving the trade.

“Australia’s livestock exports supports thousands of jobs, especially in our regional areas, and with the recent release of the Mecardo Report on the value of the live sheep export trade, it provides further analysis on the benefit of the trade to our farmers, regional communities both financially and in regards to fulltime employment. The appointment of the Inspector-General will only enhance our systems and improve regulator performance and provide the community with greater transparency and further reassurance that we are an important and sustainable industry for Australia.”
“The current Interim Inspector-General Mr Ross Carter is currently working with industry, speaking with people throughout the supply chain and making an extremely positive impression. As an industry we want transparency, the facts to be acknowledged and to be listened too. We are world leaders in the live export trade, and we value the objectivity the Inspector-General will bring to the industry and for the public reassurance that animal welfare is of the highest standard.”
“ALEC would like to acknowledge the work and again congratulate the Hon Bridget McKenzie for receiving the House of Representatives support. The additional support shown for the bill means there will be better processes in place for an independent review of the Department of Agriculture’s application of the regulations and reflects clear alignment in terms of industry reform and enhancing regulatory transparency.”
“The livestock export industry is determined to continually achieve improvements in the industry’s sustainability and animal welfare outcomes, building on the genuine care producers, exporters and importers have for the animals in the supply chains. The industry is ready to assist in any way.” says ALEC CEO Mark Harvey-Sutton.

Media
Annie Frisch 0476 844 886
media@livexcouncil.com.au
Communications and Media Director ALEC
19 September 2019

The full Mecardo report can be downloaded here