Indonesian live exports to be tracked, audited

THE Australian government will insist on independent public audits of Indonesian abattoirs and technology to track the movement of every individual beast from the farm gate to the slaughterhouse before it allows the resumption of live exports to Indonesia.
Under domestic pressure to end the live export industry altogether, the government has signalled extending the new safeguards to all live export markets with the warning that export licences will be revoked where breaches occur.
The conditions are laid out in a document presented to Indonesian and industry authorities in Jakarta yesterday by the Agriculture Minister, Joe Ludwig.

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Controls ... a document presented to the Indonesian government sets standards for the treatment of Australian cattle. Photo: Glenn Campbell

Obtained by the Herald, it confirms the government will not insist on Australian slaughter standards in which a beast must be stunned before it is killed.
It will insist instead on the lesser international standards which do not require stunning. The terms and conditions presented yesterday stipulate that if stunning is not available, numerous other conditions must be met such as humane restraints, no rough handling, and cutting the throat ''in a single cut with a freshly sharpened knife''.
Senator Ludwig suspended all live trade to Indonesia a fortnight ago after public and backbench outrage caused by video footage taken by Animal Australia activist Lyn White inside Indonesian abattoirs.
Ms White was in Canberra yesterday with the independent MPs Andrew Wilkie and Nick Xenophon, with footage she took last November showing sheep being treated appallingly in Kuwait.
The independents introduced bills yesterday to phase out all live exports. Today Northern Territory cattle growers will descend on Parliament calling for a speedy resumption to exports.
Senator Ludwig says in the submission presented to the Indonesians that the government wants the trade to resume as soon as possible. The industry has said it can have a closed loop system in which cattle are tracked and monitored along the supply chain up and running by July 21 at the latest.
In the document, the government says it respects Indonesian sovereignty and has no plans for Australian government inspectors to audit Indonesian abattoirs.
''Australia does not seek to regulate in Indonesia,'' it says.
But there must be an audit process. The auditor, who would report regularly to both governments and whose report must be published, ''should be independent, have no conflicts of interest and possess an appropriate level of competence and expertise''.
In addition, 48 hours after a consignment of animals is delivered to an overseas feedlot, a ''traceability consignment report'' must be completed detailing the arrival of every animal and documenting those which had died on the voyage.
Each animal must be registered as deceased as it is slaughtered.
The document says the initial focus will be on the Indonesian market, ''however, it is envisaged that this controlled supply chain will be readily applicable to other markets''.
It warns that standards must be adhered to.
''In the event of non-compliance, sanctions will be applied to the Australian exporter and may include the imposition of conditions on subsequent export consignments or revocation of the export licence.''