2018-07-10
Greens animal welfare spokesperson Senator Lee Rhiannon has called on the federal Minister for Agriculture to refuse permission for the export of up to 60,000 sheep by owners of Emanuel Exports that has had one of its export licenses suspended over investigations into systemic animal cruelty.
"Media reports that an owner of Emanuel Exports is applying to use the license of its sister company EMS Rural Exports to ship up to 60,000 sheep straight into the most dangerous of the northern hemisphere summer months are alarming," Senator Rhiannon said.
"This is the same operator responsible for the horrific suffering and deaths of thousands of sheep that we all recoiled from earlier this year.
"This is also the same operator that is being investigated by the WA and the Turnbull governments and has been suspended by the federal government from exporting live sheep due to systemic and historic cruelty.
"It is unconscionable that the same operators have not had suspension of their license applied to their sister ships which have also been responsible for animal cruelty. The gall of the same family to demand an alternative license for their sister company deserves condemnation.
"The Greens call for the Agriculture Minister to refuse the application by Emanuel Exports Director to ship these sheep into the baking northern hemisphere summer where temperatures reach nearly 50 degrees. It is inevitable that many of the animals will suffer the same terrible deaths as was revealed on the Awassi Express.
"The government should be showing leadership and facilitating the movement of these sheep to the local abattoirs that have said they can take those sheep. An orderly transition away from this cruel and dying industry must happen now," Senator Rhiannon said.