Beyond live sheep exports: jobs, jobs, jobs
Unfortunately, for many issues that the RSPCA is working on, money is consistently used as an excuse to not improve animal welfare. The live export of sheep for slaughter has until now been one of those issues. The RSPCA has successfully argued against the trade's continuation on welfare, religious and cultural grounds.
The economic argument to continue the live sheep trade is now off the table too. There are no excuses left.
ACIL Tasman has completed two reports into the value of the live sheep trade to Western Australia, then into the impact of the trade on jobs and the economy.
- ACIL Tasman reports
- Get on Board - sign our open letter to the Prime Minister asking him to end live sheep exports
The findings confirm that ending the live sheep trade would not only create jobs but would benefit the economy, through increased meat exports.
To date, the Australian Government has been too quick to echo the lines from live exporters that without the live sheep trade, the sky would fall in. We now know that phasing out live sheep exports would not only be a good thing for animal welfare but a good thing for rural jobs and the economy.
Perhaps the economic argument is best summed up by those who are imapcted most by the trade's continuation:
"Our members are experiencing the negative impact of the live sheep export trade firsthand. Over the last 30 years the meat processing industry has suffered the loss of 40,000 jobs and 150 processing plants. We know that many plants are currently working at only 50% capacity and that many workers are only able to work three days a week. We urge the Australian Government to take the findings of this report on board."
Grant Courtney of the Meatworkers Union