Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud has announced a review into his own department, saying a report into conditions on a ship exporting live sheep to the Middle East failed to “accurately” reflect the reality.
Video has emerged of hundreds of sheep dying in extreme heat and filth aboard ships bound for the Middle East in 2017.
The video was filmed by a navigation officer aboard multiple voyages and shows distressed sheep struggling to breathe while dead animals are thrown over the side of the boat.
More than 1300 sheep allegedly died in two days during an intense heatwave in the Persian Gulf.
Some of the footage allegedly came from a voyage by market giant Emanuel Exports, which is now the focus of a potential blockade.
More than 1300 sheep allegedly died in two days during an intense heatwave in the Persian Gulf. Source: Animals Australia
Mr Littleproud said he was concerned that a report he’d received from his department into the incident “did not accurately reflect the conditions seen in the vision on the ship”.
The minister, who took on the job before Christmas, announced the department’s investigative capability, powers and culture would be investigated as a result of having seen the vision.
He also announced a new hotline to allow whistleblowers to anonymously provide tip-offs, and signaled working with the Labor Party to raise penalties for those breaching rules through legislation before parliament.
"No-one who is doing the right thing should be scared of transparency,” Mr Littleproud said in a statement.
“I said I'd aim to create an environment where whistleblowers are comfortable and confident stepping forward, and a hotline is a start.
“I'll consult further with Animals Australia and the RSPCA, both of whom I've been in contact with, to help strengthen this.”
He said conditions onboard a ship scheduled to leave Fremantle for the Middle East in the next couple of days would be a matter for the department, but added an independent observer paid for by the department would be on board monitoring the situation.
Government resists calls for live export ban
A navigation officer filmed the conditions aboard multiple voyages from Australia to the Middle East and told Nine Network's 60 Minutes program that crew fainted while the sheep, unable to leave the boat, were essentially being "put in an oven".
The minister resisted calls from political opponents and animal rights groups for a renewed ban on live exports, noting it would primarily punish farmers and exporters who had done nothing wrong.
Emanuel Exports, which plans to transport 57,000 sheep to the Middle East this week, has accepted new conditions imposed by the department.
They include reducing the number of sheep by 17.5 per cent, improving ventilation and employing three stockman instead of two.
However, animal advocacy groups are calling for a ban on live exports.
"These sheep are simply cooking on board and there is nothing, not even stocking density changes, that can be done to affect that," RSPCA Chief Scientist Bidda Jones said.
Agriculture Minister David Littleproud. Source: AAP
