Review of the Australian Livestock Export Standards

Summary

There was strong support for retaining Australia's livestock export industry due to the economic benefits it generates for livestock producers and for service providers. However, the number of animal deaths that periodically occur during livestock export has brought into question the capacity of the current management system to deliver outcomes that are socially acceptable. Indeed, maintenance of the live export trade is now seen to depend on universal and ongoing delivery of socially acceptable standards in animal welfare. In the case of live exports, it is apparent that market forces were not sufficient on their own to bring about socially acceptable outcomes across the whole industry. Therefore, the total management system had to include a combination of natural incentives and regulations that are effective in controlling the risks surrounding live export. To this end, the regulations had to include measurable standards, applicable to all stages of the supply channel, and monitoring systems that ensure compliance.