Right: New Zealand stopped live sheep exports in 2003 after 5,000 sheep died and a further 43,000 spent nearly three months adrift in the Persian Gulf after Saudi Arabia refused the Cormo Express permission to unload.
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Background information
(The following information is taken from two sources.
Wikipedia's "Live export' entry has a subsection devoted to Australia's live export industry. This can be accessed at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_export
The Australian Government's Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry's Internet site has a section dealing with the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS). This can be accessed at http://www.daff.gov.au/biosecurity/export/live-animals/livestock/escas#general)
Australia is the world's largest exporter of sheep and cattle. According to a report by Meat and Livestock Australia, 4.2 million sheep and 572,799 cattle were exported to markets in Asia, the Middle East and other countries in 2005. Most of the livestock are for meat but there is also an active trade in breeding stock, including dairy cattle.
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Australia) controls the Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock.
The Exporter Supply Chain Assurance Scheme (ESCAS) tracks livestock shipped from Australia to ESCAS approved processing facilities outside of Australia. The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) manages quarantine controls to minimise the risk of exotic pests and diseases entering the country. AQIS also provides import and export inspection and certification to help retain Australia's highly favourable animal, plant and human health status and wide access to overseas export markets.
The major market for Australian cattle is Indonesia, which takes 80 percent of annual exports. Other key markets include Israel, Malaysia, Japan, Mexico and China. The major markets for Australian sheep are Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan. Other key markets are Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar. Australia's main market competitors are from China, South America and North Africa.
General information about ESCAS arrangements
The handling of animals involved in Australia's livestock exports trade is of great concern to the community and the Australian Government.
Following evidence of animal cruelty, on 8 June 2011 the Australian Government temporarily suspended the export of all livestock for the purpose of slaughter to Indonesia until new animal welfare safeguards were established for the trade.
Prior to the suspension, exporters of livestock to Indonesia were only required to track exported animals from the property of origin in Australia to the port of export and report on the outcome of the voyage to Indonesia.
An Industry Government Working Group (IGWG) was established to develop a regulatory framework to address the areas of concern with the export of livestock to Indonesia. Under the regulatory framework implemented for livestock exports to Indonesia for the purpose of slaughter, the exporter must supply evidence of an acceptable Exporter Supply Chain Assurance system (ESCAS) before an exporter can be issued with an approval to export by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF).
On 21 October 2011 the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry announced that the Australian Government will extend the ESCAS framework developed for Indonesia to all livestock exports for the purpose of slaughter by the end of 2012. This decision reflects the recommendations of the Farmer Review.
The IGWGs have developed separate regulatory framework documents for cattle and buffalo; and sheep and goats that take into account the differences that exist between the species.
In addition, the cattle and buffalo IGWG subsequently made a number of amendments to the regulatory framework that was initially developed for Indonesia.