Live Export - RSPCA South Australia

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HELP END LIVE SHEEP EXPORT IN 3 EASY STEPS

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The export of live sheep from Australia is going to end – thanks to the committed campaigning of thousands of compassionate Australians – and we urge you to have your say on the process and timing of the phase out.

Please contact your local MP to urge the federal government to legislate the date to end live sheep export in this term.

Thank you for helping us end live sheep export for good.

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Dear {mptitle} {mpname},

I strongly support the federal government’s commitment to phase out live sheep export. To give farmers certainty and ensure government can meet this commitment - an end date must be legislated in this term of Parliament. I understand live export is a federal matter, but I seek your support for a legislated end date in this term and ask that you communicate the importance of this matter to your federal colleagues.

Contemporary animal welfare science shows sheep suffer extremely poor welfare in live export. The animal welfare problems are cumulative and occur at every stage of the supply chain. This includes long periods of confinement and transport; stocking densities that prevent sheep from freely accessing food and water or comfortably resting at the same time; increased risks of infection, disease and other health issues caused by sheep living in their own excrement for weeks, as well as heat stress, respiratory diseases, and death (Carnovale, 2020; Moore et al., 2014). These sheep also face extreme climatic changes and fully conscious slaughter in importing countries. Despite regulatory improvements over the past few years, no amount of regulation can fix the sheep welfare issues inherent to this trade.

And in terms of the economic impact of the phaseout for South Australia, the ‘Report on the Economic Issues Associated with the South Australian Live Sheep Export Trade’ found:

‘In the absence of any evidence of a price premium being paid to SA sheep farmers by live sheep exporters, it would appear the cessation of the live sheep export trade will have little material impact on SA sheep farmers. On the other hand, the cessation of the live sheep export trade will have a positive material impact on SA sheep meat processors.’ (Davey, 2018 sourced from https://www.pegasus-economics.com.au).

SA provides a prime example of how an Australian state can, and has, successfully transitioned out of live sheep export. Since 2018, our sheep producers have adapted to market alternatives that are more humane, more sustainable and more publicly acceptable than live sheep export. Legislating a phase out of live sheep export across Australia is the only definitive way to ensure that the practice of live sheep export never occurs again from South Australia.

The federal government has already decided that live sheep export must be phased out, the focus is now on how to implement this reform.

Setting an end date in this term of Parliament is vital to ensure the phase out occurs, to better protect sheep welfare, to give certainty to Australian farmers, to increase the sustainability of Australian agriculture, and to improve Australia’s international reputation.

It is important to me that the phaseout is supported by my State and Federal Government representatives and that it occurs within the shortest possible timeframe. Can you please advise me of your position on this matter and whether you will encourage the Federal Government (possibly via state government) to legislate an end date in this parliamentary term?

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[mptitle] [mpname], on behalf of most South Australians, please end live export now.

Yours sincerely,

[fname] [lname]
[mpsuburb]

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