One Nation visits WA pre-export feedlot, supports exporters

MEDIA RELEASE

ONE NATION has reiterated its support for the livestock export industry, which it describes as a vital economic earner and employer for Australia.

The confirmation follows a One Nation visit to a major Western Australian pre-export feedlot that highlighted the high level of care and treatment given to sheep to ensure stress is reduced, health is maintained, and quality remains high.

The visiting delegation was headed by One Nation’s member of Western Australia’s Legislative Council, Colin Tincknell. One Nation federal leader Pauline Hanson was due to attend but was a late withdrawal due to the flu.

“It makes sense that our farmers and the feedlots provide the sheep the best of care; the livelihoods of everyone in the industry depends on it and, just like with any other commercial purchase, the customers won’t accept poor quality,” Senator Hanson said.

“Our livestock industry is managed by experts, our facilities are well designed and managed, a lot of care goes into the industry, and that’s why Australia’s exported sheep are the best in the world.”

The visited feedlot can house 84,000 sheep in winter and 95,000 in summer, prior to export to Israel, Jordan and Turkey, which all have specific health protocols that must be met in order for the sheep to be accepted.

“We must shear the sheep if they have more than 20mm of wool, and we must divide them into weight categories and put them on the ship as per those weight categories and the type of sheep,” Harold Sealy, of Livestock Shipping Services, explained.

“They come in from the farm, we put them on the vessel and they arrive at their destination at their original weight or a fraction better; it shows that the animals have travelled well and work has been done to eliminate stress.”

International competition from other sheep exporters means Australian sheep must be of the highest quality to ensure acceptance.

Among the care given, the holding yards are very well ventilated, the sheep are fed a specially formulated feed, parasite controls are carried out as per the needs of the buyers, and veterinarians carry out very regular checks of the animals, including daily during shipping.

“Without us delivering an article to the customer, we don’t have an income, so we take great care of our animals, as do our farmers, and it’s insulting to say we don’t care about our animals,” Mr Sealy said.

“One of our biggest selling points is we are Australia – we have great biosecurity and we have a very healthy animal, and the health of that animal is one of the reasons they want to have that animal.”

Mr Tincknell said he was pleased to visit the feedlot and see the quality operation for himself.

“This industry is so important to us as a state but also as a country; it employs a lot of people, it returns a lot of wealth to us,” the Western Australian One Nation MLC said.

“We are a society that needs to look after people who are less fortunate than ourselves, we need to have a good health system, good schools, and the only way we can do that is to have great industries that bring in income to this state and this country – this is one of those industries.”

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