Published 06/07/2011

The Australian minister for agriculture, Joe Ludwig, has announced the resumption of live cattle exports to Indonesia just a month after a temporary ban was imposed in response to shocking footage of abuse in 11 Indonesian abattoirs uncovered by Animals Australia.  

Peter Stevenson, Chief Policy Advisor at Compassion in World Farming, said: "We are extremely disappointed by the Australian government's decision.  Previous assurances given by the Australian government and the livestock exporters  that inhumane slaughter of Australian animals has been brought to an end have proved to be misleading with subsequent investigations showing that cruel practices persist.

"It is hard to believe that the necessary improvements have been made to Indonesian abattoirs in the short time - just one month - since shocking footage emerged showing  brutal treatment and widespread abuse of Australian animals in Indonesian abattoirs.

"We fear that the resumption of the trade will inevitably lead to Australian cattle once again being forced to undergo extreme suffering.  We believe the Australian government should ban this trade on a permanent basis and instead develop a trade in meat to replace the trade in live cattle."