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Government must take action on serious cash for cruelty claims in Parliament

The Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council (ALEC) today called on the Government to take serious action on the concerns raised by Rick Wilson MP and Senator Slade Brockman in Parliament in the past two weeks about activist group Animals Australia. These concerns involve allegations of cash payments Animals Australia to livestock vessel crew.

ALEC CEO Mark Harvey-Sutton said that the allegations were long standing, and that the controversy meant that Animals Australia should be precluded from advising the Department for Agriculture and indeed have their charitable status reviewed by the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission.

“The serious claims raised in parliament point to a culture of unethical behaviour by Animals Australia. ALEC has always maintained that the practice of paying people in livestock export supply chains creates a market incentivising animal cruelty. It also demonstrates that activist groups are willing to take advantage and manipulate vulnerable people in our supply chains.”

“While the Minister is right to listen to a spectrum of views from the community, he should not be taking advice from interest groups with serious allegations like these hanging over them.”

“Farmers and the industry are hurting right now and seeing activist groups like Animals Australia seemingly having the inside running on agricultural policy is insulting to an industry that does more to improve animal welfare globally than these groups ever will.”

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