We are reserving judgement on this until we see who is appointed to the role, the background they have, the connections they have the vested interests they have and of course, what power to affect change they have. Straight off though, we have to say this is a poor version of the promised Independent Office of Animal Welfare that was promised.

The producers and exporters won't support anything that increases welfare requirements and therefore further restricts the markets they have access to, and we won't support another token toothless tiger who has no real power to tangibly reduce the suffering that animals in this trade must endure.

We know that the only way to seriously change welfare outcomes for the millions of animal victims of this trade, is to phase it out in favour of an expanded, chilled only trade.

Colin Bettles reports that "EGYPT’S Ambassador to Australia says there may have been a four-year delay between the filming and release of controversial footage seen this week, showing abhorrent treatment of Australian cattle in Egyptian abattoirs."

This industry and its suporters are shameless in their attempts to debunk any negativity coming their way. Surely industry, of all people, should know that no live Australian cattle were sent to Egypt between 2006 and 2010 due to the OBSCEENE CRUELTY uncovered in 2006.

DAFF has already admitted that confirmed that they are "likely to be Australian livestock", therefore not filmed in 2009.

Article here.

Image: Animals Australia

How do you enforce any welfare standards for beeeding stock in a country with no animal welfare laws, when those animals may realistically have up to ten years of 'use'?

Read article, with Animals Australia and RSPCA commentary here.

Both heavily pregnant Australian cows and calves died from malnutrition and heat strokein temperatures up to 50 degrees C in Qatar last year. Photo: Animals Australia

By Bill Tatt at The Western Magazine
9 April 2013

Beef exports to the Middle East set a new record for the month of February when sales of 5463 tonnes were achieved by our processors. 

Saudi Arabia and Iran were major contributors to this surge with tallies of 2512 tonnes and 1112 tonnes respectively.

To 2012. Graphic: MLA

Brazil was the principal loser in these matters with the Saudis placing a ban on their beef in the latter end of 2012.

This was a dramatic fall for the South American country which, up until they were banned, had racked up 33,396 tonnes for the year.

To highlight how good this month was for our industry the five- year average for February stood at 272 tonnes and February 2012 saw a meagre 313 tonnes go to this particular country.

An aside to this upward trend is the continued necessity for producers to complete their NVDs  correctly and make sure question nine referring to Russian and Saudi Arabia eligibility is, along with the rest of the document, completed correctly.

Lambs, not to be outdone, rose to 9077 tonnes to the end of February for countries designated as the Middle East.

This was a rise of 54 per cent year- on-year and some 200 per cent up on the five- year average.

The United Arab Emirates remained the principal destination receiving 2344 tonnes in the first two months of 2013.

Live sheep exports are expected to be at their lowest in more than 20 years during 2012-2013.

This side of the industry is tipped by analysts to recover in the short to medium term to reach 2.4 million head by 2017-18.

At that point in time ABARE predicts that the Australian sheep flock will, they suggest, stablise at about 80 million head after growing slightly year on year from now to then.

To 2012. Graphic: The Atlantic

One of Australia’s most respected and insightful Buddhist leaders, Abbot Ajahn Brahm, once said that the problem with seeking revenge is that you become a ‘victim of your own war’, in that you can often suffer as much ‘damage’ as the person to whom you are directing your revenge.

Read full article here.

Mark I restraint box. Taxpayer-funded cruelty in Indonesia. Photo: Animals Australia