FED: RSPCA attacks govt over decision on cattle exporter

AAP General News (Australia)
02-14-1999
FED: RSPCA attacks govt over decision on cattle exporter

CANBERRA, Feb 14 AAP - The RSPCA accused the federal government of incompetency over live
cattle exports today and warned it could stop negotiations over the trade and may only support
carcass trade in future.

In a statement RSPCA national president Dr Hugh Wirth condemned the government for failing
to take tough action against the export company responsible for the death of 570 cattle last
June on the MV Charolais Express which had been headed for Israel.

On Friday the Agriculture Department said Wellards Rural Exports Pty Ltd had been banned
from exporting live cattle from south of Brisbane to the Middle East or North Africa between
May and October, the northern hemisphere summer.

But Dr Wirth said his group, which monitors the safety standards of cattle being exported,
believed the action was not good enough because Wellards had not been penalised or made
accountable, despite the government claims, and was still being allowed to export.

"In my opinion the government is completely incompetent and has yet again lied to the
Australian public about what it is going to do to stop the increasing number of live export
animal disasters which keep occurring," Dr Wirth said.

The time taken to reach a decision on the Charolais Express has angered animal groups who
last month were outraged over another major cattle death toll, this time 800 cattle (80 per
cent of the shipment) on the vessel Temboreng which was travelling from Darwin to Indonesia.

The RSPCA and Australian Veterinary Association have called on Prime Minister John Howard
to ensure his government takes action, but Dr Wirth said to date he had had no response.

He said he would now recommend the RSPCA stop its efforts to negotiate with the government
and its departments over the live cattle trade and only support a carcass trade because of the
ongoing disasters.

"If they cannot or will not get it right then they should cease the live animal export
trade immediately," Dr Wirth said.

The RSPCA believed there must be an on-the-spot cancellation of an exporter's licence when
the death rate exceeded the agreed industry level.

It was one per cent on the Charolais Express which lost 50 per cent of its cargo.

"It is now time for the federal government and the Prime Minister to get serious and take
responsibility for the protection and welfare of export animals," Dr Wirth said.

AAP msl/gl/br

KEYWORD: CATTLE (CARRIED EARLIER)

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