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Farmers brace for new sheep ship furore

Jenne BrammerThe West Australian
VideoAnimals Australia has released shocking video of animal abuse on a live sheep export vessel to the Middle East last year. WARNING: Distressing content.

The agricultural sector is bracing for further public outrage over livestock exports, with video footage set to emerge of alleged mishandling of sheep at an Australian Government-approved abattoir in the Middle East.

The Federal Agriculture Department said yesterday it had suspended supply and removed animals from the Qatar abattoir after receiving on Monday new information and video from activist group Animals Australia.

The announcement came as the Nine Network’s 60 Minutes program flagged on social media that it would broadcast tomorrow night secretly filmed vision of the fate of sheep unloaded from a ship.

It comes after horrific footage released last weekend showing conditions aboard a live export voyage to the Middle East last year, prompting Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud to launch a review.

The department said the Qatar allegations included the onselling of sheep to private buyers. The suspension meant no further Australian sheep could be transported to or slaughtered at the abattoir.

VideoIsrael’s first lady Sara Netanyahu has spoken out against Australia’s live sheep trade.

The development came as a notorious ship on which more than 4000 sheep died of heat stress on a voyage to the Middle East five years ago prepared to arrive in Fremantle to collect tens of thousands of WA sheep.

The voyage of the Bader III, operated by Livestock Shipping Services, will be the second from Fremantle since last Sunday’s release of video taken on the Emanuel Exports-operated Awassi Express.

Previously described by WA Agriculture Minister Alannah MacTiernan as a “ship of shame” because of its age and specifications, the 40-year-old Bader III was yesterday off WA and expected to dock in Fremantle within days, though the exact time and details were being kept under wraps.

Maysora, also operated by LSS, arrived in Fremantle on Tuesday and departed early on Wednesday with a cargo of about 77,000 sheep and 8000 cattle, for a month-long journey to Turkey, via Egypt.

LSS did not return calls.

The Australian Livestock Exporters Council confirmed Maysora had an independent inspector aboard and Bader III was expected to follow suit. Ms MacTiernan said State Government inspectors found Maysora complied with the “very modest” Australian standards.

Pastoralists and Graziers Association president Tony Seabrook said he and WAFarmers president Tony York were aboard Maysora during loading and were satisfied with conditions. “The industry can’t justify what has happened and the appalling outcome (on the Awassi Express) but I am confident there is no way that horrific footage indicates the norm,” Mr Seabrook said.

The Awassi Express is in Fremantle awaiting an all-clear from the Federal shipping regulator over conditions for minimum airflow in livestock pens.

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