Australia's livex industry should be judged on its own record - By Mark Harvey-Sutton

The release of the 2026 Global Livestock Fleet Report has been seized upon by activist organisations as further justification for ending Australia's live export trade.

Yet ironically, the report reinforces something the Australian industry has argued for decades - that the best animal welfare outcomes are achieved through professionalism, rigorous regulation, independent oversight and a commitment to continuous improvement.

Where the activists get it wrong is in assuming that observations about the global livestock fleet automatically apply to Australia's trade.

They don’t.

Australia has spent decades building one of the world's most sophisticated regulatory frameworks for the export of livestock by sea.

Every livestock carrier servicing the Australian trade must comply with Australian Maritime Safety Authority requirements, international maritime conventions, classification society rules and Australia's own export legislation, including the Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock (ASEL).

These standards are supported by independent inspections, audits, veterinary oversight and strict operational requirements. If a vessel does not meet Australia's standards, it does not sail.

The report also places considerable emphasis on vessel age. While fleet renewal is important, vessel age alone is an incomplete measure of either safety or animal welfare.

The vessels servicing Australia's live export trade are comparatively young, averaging around 19 years of age, but even that statistic tells only part of the story.

Animal welfare outcomes depend on the entire production system working together; selecting healthy livestock, preparing animals for export, appropriate onboard stocking densities, ventilation systems, feed and water management, animal husbandry, experienced stockpersons and crew, veterinary support, voyage planning and robust contingency arrangements.

This is precisely where Australia's regulatory framework has focused its efforts.

For years, industry has invested heavily in research, innovation and continuous improvement because evidence consistently demonstrates that successful outcomes rely on professional management across the entire supply chain, not any single characteristic of a vessel.

That message was reinforced by internationally respected livestock shipping expert and chair of ALEC’s Livestock Shipping Committee, Lennart Ephraim, during LIVEXchange 2025 – Bing Videos.

Drawing on decades of international experience, he observed that Australia has established itself as a global leader through science-based regulation, independent oversight and a culture of continual improvement.

That recognition is significant because it comes from an expert whose work spans livestock shipping systems around the world, not from organisations whose stated objective is to end the trade irrespective of improvements or performance.

None of this suggests there isn’t room for improvement. In fact, Australia's industry has built its reputation on acknowledging challenges, investing in research and strengthening standards where there are meaningful outcomes.

Continuous improvement has never been a slogan; it is the operating philosophy of Australia's live export industry.

The real lesson from the report is that strong governance, professional operators, evidence-based regulation and independent oversight matter.

Rather than using its findings to blur the distinction between vastly different regulatory systems, we should recognise Australia's experience for what it is - a practical example of how high standards, science and accountability can optimise animal welfare outcomes while supporting regional communities and supplying livestock to markets that depend on them.

If we are going to have an informed discussion about live exports, it should be based on Australia's system, Australia's performance and Australia's evidence, not on broad generalisations that ignore one of the most comprehensively regulated livestock export industries in the world.