I

just want to add that it is up to Indonesia to provide humane conditions for the slaughter of livestock. We provide the animals, subsidized no less, and are expected to also improve Indonesia’s training system and abattoirs?

Has Indonesia been shooting up on Australian aid for so long that even the end of the trade line has become our responsibility? Some were saying we should spend out own money to improve Indonesian abattoirs and train those in the industry. This is not fair.

You do not sell gold to other countries and then train them in jewelry making! We want to provide cattle to Indonesia, but we do not want to be complicit in a trade that tortures the animals after sale.

Now that Australia knows what Indonesian abattoirs are doing with the cattle, we are going into damage control and starting to suspend trade. We should not return to exports unless Indonesia overhauls their industry practices.

This is what a responsible country should do. Indonesia in return should not start pointing fingers and looking for more opportunities for funding, but reconsider how their meat animals are treated.

If this is too hard and Indonesia would prefer to import meat from a country that does not care about the welfare of its exports, then so be it.

Australian beef is top-notch quality, known the world over, and we will find another market.

Lauren
Melbourne