The Big Picture........

Animal cruelty. It is a terrible thing. Terrible to see on our TV’s in recent footage, but it must be absolutely horrific to see in person. I am at a complete loss to understand how people can film these things and not intervene at any point (especially when they are not there as individuals). How can they not attempt to stop it? I have never seen any of the following said in activists’ footage:

“Hey is that necessary?”

“Hey please stop what you are doing”

“Stop now please. There is a much better way of doing this”

“Who is in charge here? I want them to stop this immediately!”

I have as yet to see a story air where people film cruelty with someone actively intervening to stop it or question why or attempt to do something……anything to prevent more occurring. If there were footage of it I would perhaps believe their sincerity, but there is not. Just as there is no footage proffered of how things look when they are done correctly.

I do not condone cruelty. Nor do I condone a campaign that is seeking to discredit an industry, our trading partners and our farmers off the back of animal cruelty. I ask the following questions:

How many abattoirs did they visit before they found their footage?

How long where they aware of the possibility of cruelty occurring?

Did they seek to inform authorities at the onset?

How long have they had the footage?

How many more incidents are they going to release over the coming months?

Why are those slaughtering the animals not concerned about the presence of a film crew?

Surely they (the slaughtermen) know what they are doing is wrong?

Perhaps there are other motives for the willingness for them to openly stand in front of a camera and proceed to do what they do?

How do they plan the release of the footage?

Anything to do with the upcoming election perchance?

Why wait so long to report it to the authorities?

I have so many questions. These people are not journalists telling a balanced story (even though the odd journalist is known to only show one side). These people have gone on an “investigation” with the sole purpose of uncovering cruelty. Commendable when done correctly.  However planning, possibly orchestrating and ultimately benefiting from the footage is anything but commendable.

I feel ill. Ill about the fact that animals have suffered. Ill about the fact that nothing was done there and then to stop it. Ill that it was not immediately reported to authorities. Ill that the blame is being laid at the feet of our farmers. Ill that as an exporting nation we stand to lose not only our Live Export markets, but all our commodity markets.

Sixty-six percent of all agricultural produce grown here is exported. This includes meat but also grains, wine, dairy, wool, and cotton. Basically anything our farmers grow is also exported. These countries are being labelled cruel as a whole. Not the individuals responsible, but the countries as a whole. I imagine some find this offensive. If offended they can easily chose not to buy our Australian produce. “Good!” I hear the Ban Live Export movement exclaim. How about when they no longer buy our wheat, or cotton or wool? We stand to lose so very much more.

This is a short sighted political campaign aimed to inflict maximum damage to the Live Export industry while at the same time receive huge benefits in the way of publicity and donations. At no time have they looked further ahead down the road to see the ongoing implications of their actions. The offence they are causing with their blanket statements about our trading partners.

The ban as a response to the Indonesian footage shown by the ABC’s 4Corners was short sighted and irresponsible. Indonesia was offended. They are also our third largest wheat importer. The ramifications two years late are still being felt as the drought spreads its fingers over properties that are overstocked. Overstocked because the cattle are worth nothing.

The recent cattle sales of $20/head would not even cover freight. The selling levy alone is $5/head. There is no agistment available, fodder is scarce and getting not only scarcer but unaffordable. Some producers are almost two years without an income. Where do they find the money to feed their cattle? The values of their properties has been reduced by the banks who are rerating the risk score of farmers.  There is little to no money left.

Now the prospect of cattle being shot in the paddock is a very real possibility. While people elsewhere in the world starve, some of our farmers are facing the very real prospect of shooting the livestock in the paddock. Yet statements like this are rife on social media………….."When I hear "farmers have to shoot them cause the market is shut down"I sigh in relief, at least they will be spared" or even “So what you breed them to kill and eat anyway?”.

 It is interesting that some do not understand the effort and love (yes love) that goes into building a herd of breeding cattle. They do not see the time, effort or money spent on genetics, building a herd of beautiful cows. They do not see the farmers ensuring the health and well-being of their livestock. They do not see the fact that the farmer can identify the majority of his breeders by sight (sometimes even name), know who owns what calf and which bull was the sire. They so not see the pride the farmer has in his stock. 

There is so much that goes into breeding cattle. To have to destroy years and years of work and genetics by having to shoot what would otherwise be perfectly animals if there were not a drought is simply heartbreaking. “But you shoot your own to eat”. Yes that is correct and I personally while not liking the fact that an animal must die chose to be a realist as I eat meat. I also see that there is no waste. It is a form of self-sufficiency. It is also a single animal not hundreds or thousands that will have to be shot and go to waste. So very, very needless and unnecessary and heartbreaking.

There is no abattoir crying out for them to kill, despite this being the favoured catch cry of the activist…….on shore processing. If this were a genuine option there would be a huge percentage of farmers supporting this option. Jobs for Australians, preferably in Australian owned businesses. The reality however is far different. There are not people clamouring to be employed in abattoirs. The majority of Abattoirs are not Australian owned. It costs approximately $300/ body of beef to slaughter in Australia. It costs only $150/ body in the US and only around $80/body in Brazil. Simple equation really, our boxed meat is expensive.

I do not condone cruelty. I do not ask you to actually support the Live Export industry. I do ask you to show some empathy for our farmers. When they explain their individual situations it is not whinging, but simply telling their story and situation.

I do also ask you as intelligent Australians to question the underlying motives of organisations like Animals Australia and their activists. The way the footage is being released in dribs and drabs in the lead up to an election screams political agenda and has little to do with animal welfare, otherwise the authorities would have been informed immediately. Point scoring off the back of cruelty.

If Australia is not active in these markets then one of the other 109 or so countries who also Live Export will happily fill the gap, and not a single one spends any money on animal welfare in other countries. Australia is the only country attempting to help improve infrastructure and offering training and education for employees.

Remember not a single dollar they receive in donations will actually go towards animal welfare, instead a large part of their budget goes in advertising against not only Live Export but all methods of meat production.

What you are seeing and hearing may be appalling, but remember no one lifted a finger to help these animals and now there is much being gained through the cruelty for activists. They have even recently launched political candidates into the federal election under the banner of the Animal Justice Party.

Cruelty is wrong, be it to animal or human. It needs to be stopped and the most effective way is through training and education. Humans are an imperfect race, with people capable of terrible things and at the same time great kindness. Please take the time to consider all sides and seek out answers. The simplistic solutions offered by opponents to the Live Export industry are too simple. There is so much more at stake.