Published 08/06/2011

In a victory for animal welfare, the Australian government has responded to the recent public outcry and suspended all live export of cattle to Indonesia. This response follows on from a TV documentary showing cattle being brutally treated at slaughter.

Compassion in World Farming is delighted to report that the Australian government has responded to the horrific documentary shown on Australian television on Monday 30th May, by suspending all live cattle exports to Indonesia.

This successful outcome would never have come about without the courageous investigation by Animals Australia into Indonesian slaughterhouses and tenacious lobbying by Animals Australia and RSPCA Australia. Compassion wants to congratulate them for achieving such an incredible victory in the battle against live exports.

The Australian government is reported as saying that the suspension will continue until appropriate welfare safeguards are in place in Indonesia. So far so good, but Compassion is calling for this cruel trade to not just be suspended but banned on a permanent basis. Indeed, we believe that all live exports from Australia must now be brought to an end. Cattle exported to other parts of south east Asia and the Middle East suffer greatly during the long journeys followed by slaughter that is all too often inhumane. The same applies to the millions of sheep exported annually to the Middle East.

Whilst we are delighted that the trade to Indonesia has been suspended, local animals will continue to suffer horrific slaughter practices. Nor is Indonesia the only country where slaughter is nightmarishly cruel. The World Bank has produced a report showing just how bad slaughter is in many parts of the world. We are calling on the World Bank to use its funds and its political muscle to initiate a programme to ensure that slaughter worldwide is carried out in accordance with the welfare guidelines of the OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health).

Our Director of Public Affairs, Joyce D'Silva, says:

"We want to applaud the Australian Prime Minister for suspending all live exports to Indonesia and would strongly urge that this is made permanent. No farm animal should have to endure the kind of suffering that was shown on the investigative documentary made by Animals Australia and RSPCA Australia. We saw cattle in extreme amounts of pain, proving that it is impossible to guarantee humane handling and slaughter of these animals on arrival at their foreign destination".

The battle is far from over, but this is a landmark moment in the campaign against all long-distance transport.

Watch the documentary

• Click here to watch the ABC documentary. Please note that some of this footage may upset viewers due to its graphic nature.

We believe that farm animals should not and need not suffer.

If you agree, please support us today. Your donation could help end all forms of farm animal cruelty and help us stop factory farming in its tracks. We receive no government funding so rely entirely on the generosity of our supporters to prevent cruelty to farm animals all over the world.

Donate now >>