The Minister for Agriculture has returned from Indonesia without even visiting a single abattoir and with nothing to show but a deadline for Australia to resume live cattle exports to the country.

The Australian public clearly supports the ban and is appalled by the horrific conditions in Indonesian abattoirs. Meat sales have dropped 15 percent since ABC’s “Four Corners” revealed that cattle are often beaten and have their throats hacked while still fully conscious in Indonesian abattoirs.

Australian animals will continue to suffer as long as live export remains legal. Every year, four million sheep are sent from Australia to the Middle East and North Africa on filthy, overcrowded ships with minimal protection from the elements. Lame sheep are often trampled and cannot even lift their faces from the faeces-laden floors, and many others fall ill or starve to death because they are not used to the pellet food provided onboard. According to a Meat and Livestock Australia report, as many as 38,000 sheep die annually in transit.

Those who survive are often tied up and shoved into the backs of trucks or car boots when they reach their destination. At the abattoir, their throats are often slit while they're still conscious.

Sincerely,

Ashley Fruno
Senior Campaigner
PETA Asia