Sigh...Labor back down on cattle exports

**Acacia** · 15-06-2011 10:42

http://www.watoday.com.au/national/l...g1z8.html#poll

There is also a poll attached.

**Ana Gram** · 15-06-2011 11:51

typical

**KatiesMum** · 15-06-2011 12:23

seriously - what did we expect?

The government (and the Meat and Livestock Assoc) has had a very VERY long warning about this.

They were told in November it was happening - and being investigated by journalists so would be exposed.

They were given the actual Story in April - and the government had time to examine the likely repercussions .... so plenty of time to come up with a reasoned and thoughtful action.

Instead - when the story came out they said "oh how horrible. We will look into it". When it appeared the public werent satisfied they raced in with a badly thought out or planned 'immediate ban' ... with no consideration at all as to the future.

They COULD have
- thought it through, banned the practice and made plans for the cattle already in the system ... without getting more cattle on trucks, in holding yards, in limbo etc

- had a plan for the future - decided by now if there was to BE a live export trade at all, made a process for accrediting any Indonesian slaughter places etc so that there was a time indication and the Australian business effected could work to that

- eased out - so that the industry here in Australia could set up for alternatives (ship stock to Australian slaughter yards, send chilled beef to Indonesia, not muster the cattle etc) and have an organised wind down etc.

The industry itself knew about this - so had the oppurtunity to act, and didnt. They dont get a lot of sympathy from me .... but the individual business do. Not just the farmers, the truckies, the suppliers, the communities who are stuck in limbo land.

The government knew about this - so had the oppurtunity to ACT, in an organised manner, to assist Australian businesses while acting in a way that the people see is morally right. But they didnt act ... buried their head in the sand and hoped that it would go away. It didnt - so they lumped on an unthought out reaction .... and then wonder why the businesses involved jump up and down.

I am not saying we should have a live cattle trade - I actually dont think we should. But the government is to blame here for its INCREDIBLY bad handling of this.

**Californication** · 15-06-2011 17:52

Totally agree Katie's Mum. Knee jerk reactions are never good long term solutions, but it seems that's all this Govt can do. They could and should have acted months ago and none of this would have needed to happen.

I'm no fan of Tony Abbott either, but can't wait to get rid of Julia and her cronies at the next election.

**waterlily** · 15-06-2011 17:58

Originally Posted by Californication

Totally agree Katie's Mum. Knee jerk reactions are never good long term solutions, but it seems that's all this Govt can do. They could and should have acted months ago and none of this would have needed to happen.

I'm no fan of Tony Abbott either, but can't wait to get rid of Julia and her cronies at the next election.

Yep I agree!