CANBERRA - Australia suspended live cattle exports to 11 Indonesian abattoirs yesterday and announced a review into the A$320 million (S$421 million) trade after graphic footage was broadcast of Australian cattle being inhumanely slaughtered.
"I have decided to halt the trade of live animals to the facilities identified by the footage. I reserve the right to add further facilities to the banned list," Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig said in a statement. "I will appoint an independent reviewer to investigate the complete supply chain for live exports up to and including the point of slaughter," he said.
Australian national television on Monday aired footage of cattle being beaten, whipped and kicked prior to slaughter in Indonesia, prompting a political outcry in Canberra.
"It exposed nothing short of shocking cruelty for Australian livestock," said independent MP Andrew Wilkie. Mr Wilkie and independent Senator Nick Xenophon yesterday unveiled legislation calling for the immediate ban on live animal exports to Indonesia and a full ban of live animal exports to all nations within three years.
Mr Wilkie said he understood the sensitivity of diplomatic relations with neighbouring Indonesia, an important export market for Canberra and a fellow member of the Group of 20 rich nations but it was clear there was a "systemic problem with Australia's whole live export industry".
Mr Bayu Krisnamurthi, Indonesia's Vice-Minister for the Coordination of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Maritime Affairs, called for calm to avoid a trade dispute. "Australia should understand that the level of development of Indonesians is different from the level of development of Australians," he told reporters, according to the Jakarta Globe newspaper.
A senior Indonesian livestock official said the country was already working to improve animal handling standards and foreshadowed talks between Jakarta and Canberra to avert a ban.
Indonesia is Australia's 13th largest export partner, with two-way trade worth A$9.8 billion last year. The live animal market is Australia's second largest after the Middle East.
Forwarded from: http://www.todayonline.com/World/EDC110601-0000054/Indonesian-abattoirs-under-fire
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