Yes again I feel I have to comment - especially seeing I was definately on my "soapbox" on this one. I, like most of you was absolutely outraged at the conditions that these animals were shown in However - it is coming to light that these were not a "blanket inidicator" of images of all abbatoirs but apparently an isolated eleven out of 700 odd processing facilities.
Now don't be confused by my statement - to me 1 doing this is too many however if there is anyone who we can believe - and in this environment it is difficult to source the truth! but inevitably most of the Australian Public may have been mislead as to just how widespread this cruelty is!
I am not changing my view that live cattle export should have been banned - but to those doing these atrocities - NOT if they are doing things correctly and humanely.
AND most importantly - attack the problem with a logical and common sense approach - think about the cattle at the docks/in transit committed to contracts already signed, think about the affects on the family companies and the workers along the full extent of the supply change and without going in guns blazing that it further harms our industry and our people AND our Cattle use some common sense when making this huge decisions.
I still hold the MLA to blame for much of the problem - I realise they are not the ones doing these atrocities personally but they did have knowledge and should have known that it would only be a matter of time before the world soon knew of these abusers - they did know what was happening and be assured many of you don't know my previous work history but I have witnessed the pull by some of the large companies who are able to gain huge voting rights through "transactions" between their own companies, pastoral & processing chains "buying votes" so to speak.
The MLA should have seen this coming and had strategies in place, not to mention working towards alternative markets for the huge amount of cattle in the north.
There are many very enlightening and informative letters circulating via email on the web showing the various sides to this issue and I encourage you to read as many as you can as it will continue to open everyone's eyes into this very complex debate.
Encourage everyone to be part of the EAT AUSTRALIAN BEEF EVENT ON JUNE 17th!! As unfortunately my prediction (and it wouldn't take Einstein to work it out!) is that this footage is having an affect on ALL Beef sales. So hopefully someone with not only the power but with some common sense will make the tough decisions but sort this out quickly so that our industry is not affected any worse than it already has.
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