Jobs lost due to live animal trade

29 December 2009

JOBS at Australian meatworks like Ipswich’s Swift plant at Dinmore are being lost because of the live animal export trade, warn unions and management.

Ipswich Labor MP Shayne Neumann disputes the claim, saying the live meat trade supports 10,000 jobs in Australia and should not be stopped.

The Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union (AMIEU), in a current media campaign, says more jobs could be created for meatworkers if the live trade was ended.

On a petition to the Australian Senate, the AMEIU states that animals are subjected to inhumane conditions during transportation resulting in unacceptably high death rates and suffering.

“Upon arrival, they suffer extreme cruelty and barbarism prior to and during slaughter – practices that are illegal in Australia,” the petition says.

Swift director John Berry says 250,000 cattle were sent live this year to Indonesia.

“These are the highest figures for the past few years and are expected to grow in 2010,” he said.

“These numbers represent the equivalent of 33 per cent of the annual Dinmore kill.

“This year – due to the expansion in the live cattle trade to Indonesia and seasonal conditions post several years of drought – we have seen Dinmore move from 11 shifts over seven days to 10 shifts over five days and, in 2010, to nine shifts over five days.

“Both our Dinmore and Townsville plants face the direct impact from the live cattle industry.”

Dinmore is the largest meat-processing facility in Australia and employs more people in Ipswich than any other private employer – a workforce of more than 2000.

But Member for Blair Shayne Neumann said slaughtering cattle in Australia that were currently exported live would not provide more jobs or result in increased sales of chilled meat.

“The countries involved would be likely to source the livestock elsewhere,” he said.

“If we slaughter them in Australia, it doesn’t mean to say we can export that meat.

“I would like to see more cattle transferred to Dinmore and see those jobs protected. My strong view is the problems down there (at Dinmore) are to do with a complex number of other issues.”

Melina Tensen, from the RSPCA, said that no amount of regulation would ever make the live animal trade safe or humane.

“Livestock are subjected to this cruel trade despite our meat exports being nearly five times more valuable to the Australian economy than live animal exports – and despite the ongoing negative impact on Australian jobs, particularly meat processors,” she said.

“Economic work recently commissioned by the RSPCA has revealed that there are alternatives that are better for animals, better for Australian jobs and better for the Australian economy.”

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