Opinion: Once-respected iconic institution has sunk into the gutter of the animal activist’s playbook

The RSPCA needs to release the details about its numbers. At the end of May, industry research and development body LiveCorp released its annual survey of community sentiment regarding the global live export of cattle, sheep, and goats. The survey was part of a research project conducted by Voconiq, an offshoot of the CSIRO, one of the most esteemed science organisations in Australia. It has been running the survey for the past four years, surveying 4000 people’s attitudes to the live export trade. In summary, it concluded the Australian public’s support for the live export trade had strengthened over the past four years. Critically, it concluded that the public did not differentiate between cattle and sheep being exported, which explodes the myth that the sheep trade has lost its “social licence” and should be banned from export. Unfortunately, the CEO of the RSPCA, Richard Mussell attacked the veracity of Voconiq’s work, calling it “push polling”. LiveCorp and Voconiq rejected Mr Mussell’s characterisation and stated their research project was an “open book” and that the RSPCA was welcome to interrogate its survey methodologies. At the time of writing, the RSPCA had not taken up the invitation. Then, two weeks later, the RSPCA produced its own “survey” of 800 people in WA, (as compared with the 4000 involved in the Voconiq work) in which 70 per cent agreed the live sheep trade should be shut down. However, when asked to provide evidence of its methodology, the RSPCA declined. The RSPCA should provide some evidence of its claims. At the very least, it should publish the survey so it can be held up to scrutiny. The RSPCA needs to show transparency on an issue that is so vital to many in WA. I believe this would be the decent and honest thing to do. The RSPCA’s website states that it “uses peer-reviewed scientific research to inform our policies, positions and campaigns”. Well, it ought to let its peers review this survey! The president of the RSPCA, Chris Packham, needs to be heard from on this matter. He should agree that the RSPCA provides the methodology of its “survey” to Voconiq, LiveCorp and the community. David Galvin is the chair of the Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council.