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The issue

After almost two years and multiple reviews, the Department of Agriculture is proposing to abandon the key reforms agreed by all major animal welfare organisations and scientific experts.

In 2018, footage of sheep suffering horrific heat stress on live export journeys to the Middle East sparked community outrage and calls for immediate action on animal welfare.

Since then, the government has received consistent evidence and expert advice that export during the high risk May to October period must end, due to the extremely high and unavoidable risk of heat stress to sheep.

But now, the government is actually planning to ignore all that advice, dismiss the most significant change proposed to improve animal welfare, and allow journeys to continue through some of these worst months of the year.

Tens of thousands of Australians have written to the Minister of Agriculture over the past two years – but the Department’s proposed response ignores these voices as well.

This represents an enormous step backwards, that will expose sheep further tragedies like the five disastrous journeys of the Awassi Express.

The Minister for Agriculture must heed the scientific evidence, accept the advice of her own technical panel and experts, and support the proper regulation of this trade for as long as it continues.

RSPCA's response

Enough is enough. After almost two years and multiple reviews, the evidence and advice is clear and consistent.

Allowing May, September and October exports to continue is guaranteeing Australian sheep will suffer and die from severe heat stress.

The RSPCA believes the Minister for Agriculture must heed this evidence, accept the advice of her own technical panel and experts, and support the proper regulation of this trade for as long as it continues.

At the very least, the Government must accept the science-backed advice to stop journeys during the most dangerous months of the Middle Eastern summer (May to October), AND implement the revised heat stress risk assessment model to better protect sheep from heat stress throughout the year.

Join us in calling for the Department of Agriculture to act on the science and implement effective regulation of heat stress in live sheep export, rather than allowing this dangerous step backwards.