Livestock ships could be blocked under state law, says WA Premier

Updated

West Australian Premier Mark McGowan has threatened to ramp up action against the live animal export trade, saying he is open to using state law to block livestock carriers breaching animal welfare standards from leaving the state's ports. Dr Michael McCarthy was appointed by the agriculture minister, David Littleproud, to conduct the review on 10 April, two days after 60 Minutes aired footage of sheep suffering extreme distress on the Emanuel Exports stocked ship Awassi Express, which left Fremantle on 1 August 2017 and lost 2,400 sheep to heat stress. It has not yet met ventilation conditions imposed by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority after footage of 2400 sheep dying in filth and struggling to breathe in extreme heat was broadcast. But on Wednesday another ship, the MV Maysora, left the same port for Turkey despite concerns by inspectors from the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. Mr McGowan said he was willing to look at the legal options available under the Animal Welfare Act if there were breaches of Australian standards in the future. "The findings of the inspection report from the Maysora remain a serious cause for concern," she said. Meanwhile, the ship that sparked calls for a ban of live exports to the Middle East during their summer months, Emanuel Exports' Awassi Express, remains docked in Fremantle.
West Australian Premier Mark McGowan says he is willing to use state law to block livestock export ships on animal welfare grounds. The move comes as MV Awassi Express is detained in Fremantle undergoing ventilation upgrades mandated by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority after video emerged of 2,400 sheep dying on board during a voyage last August. MV Maysora left the port last week despite inspectors reporting water troughs that were empty or filled with faeces.