Petition to Western Australian Premier Roger Cook

Sign and share to let the WA State Government know we want them to support Federal Labor’s phase out of live sheep exports by sea. This petition is open to all Australian citizens.

Rally at Fremantle Port

Urge the WA State Government to support an end to live sheep exports by sea!

Join us in calling on WA Premier Roger Cook to support the end of the cruel live export trade and a transition to a more humane, sustainable and ethical alternative. Please use the below form to remind the Western Australian Government that 78% of Australians want the trade to end – every signature makes a difference!

Dear Premier,

Western Australian organisation Stop Live Exports, and its supporters, call for our State Government to support an end to live sheep exports by sea. 

Once again, Australians have just witnessed the cruelty inherent in the live export industry, with the aborted trip to the Red Sea of the MV Bahijah. For over one month, 16,000 sheep and cattle were confined to the vessel, including days off the coast of Perth during shocking heatwave conditions. Animals showed signs of stress and fatigue and a number died onboard or soon after.

In spite of this tragedy, the regulator (the Federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) allowed the Jawan, a larger live export ship carrying 60,000 animals, to continue on the same fraught and dangerous journey to the Red Sea, at a time when a grain ship was fired at by Houthi Rebels.

These are just some recent examples that demonstrate that it is impossible for the regulator to adequately regulate an inherently risky and cruel trade. This is why a whopping 78% of Australians support an end to live sheep exports, with farmers being supported through the transition[1]. In addition, 71% of the Premier’s fellow West Australians, including 69% from regional and rural areas of the State, support a phase out.[2] Consistent with these views, the Federal Labor Government has committed to phase out the trade.

We call upon Premier Cook and his government to join their fellow Australians, and their Federal counterparts, in supporting the end of this cruel trade and transitioning to a more humane, sustainable and ethical alternative. This position would be consistent with the 2022 WA Labor Platform 82–83 regarding live export, that recognised that “there are strong economic, jobs and animal welfare reasons for transitioning from the live export trade to domestic processing of animals for local consumption and the chilled and frozen meat trade”.

The live sheep export industry is worth a tiny fraction – just 0.1% – of Australia’s agricultural exports.[3] However, this matter is about more than protecting commercial interests –  Australians don’t want our animals treated badly Premier!

[1] McCrindle 2022

[2] McCrindle 2022

[3] Based on Rural Bank data for 2022/2023

Petition to Western Australian Premier Roger Cook

Dear Premier,

Western Australian organisation Stop Live Exports, and its supporters, call on our State Government to support an end to live sheep exports by sea. 

Once again, Australians have just witnessed the cruelty inherent in the live export industry, with the aborted trip to the Red Sea of the MV Bahijah. For over one month, 16,000 sheep and cattle were confined to the vessel, including days off the coast of Perth during shocking heatwave conditions. Animals showed signs of stress and fatigue and a number died onboard or soon after.

In spite of this tragedy, the regulator (the Federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) allowed the Jawan, a larger live export ship carrying 60,000 animals, to continue on the same fraught and dangerous journey to the Red Sea, at a time when a grain ship was fired at by Houthi Rebels.

These are just some recent examples that demonstrate that it is impossible for the regulator to adequately regulate an inherently risky and cruel trade. This is why a whopping 78% of Australians support an end to live sheep exports, with farmers being supported through the transition[1]. In addition, 71% of the Premier’s fellow West Australians, including 69% from regional and rural areas of the State, support a phase out.[2] Consistent with these views, the Federal Labor Government has committed to phase out the trade.

We call upon Premier Cook and his government to join their fellow Australians, and their Federal counterparts, in supporting the end of this cruel trade and transitioning to a more humane, sustainable and ethical alternative. This position would be consistent with the 2022 WA Labor Platform 82–83 regarding live export, that recognised that “there are strong economic, jobs and animal welfare reasons for transitioning from the live export trade to domestic processing of animals for local consumption and the chilled and frozen meat trade”.

The live sheep export industry is worth a tiny fraction – just 0.1% – of Australia’s agricultural exports.[3] However, this matter is about more than protecting commercial interests –  Australians don’t want our animals treated badly Premier!

[1] McCrindle 2022

[2] McCrindle 2022

[3] Based on Rural Bank data for 2022/2023

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