The following article is a piece I wrote whilst in Townsville documenting the AMIEU “live export exports jobs” campaign and was published on the Humane Chain website:

“Live export exports jobs” echoed through Townsville on Tuesday as local meat workers, Union representatives and politicians launched a public campaign to phase out live export by 2015. Writes Reuben Brand.

Labor candidate for Herbert Tony Mooney expressed his concern about job losses at the launch of the Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union’s (AMIEU) “live export exports jobs” campaign in Townsville this week.

This year alone, 960 full-time Australian meat workers’ jobs have been lost nation-wide. In response to the large number of jobs already lost, Mr Mooney announced that he supported the AMIEU’s campaign to end live export by 2015.

“Last week I experienced a day in the life of a meat worker – it’s backbreaking work, so I appreciate what these workers do and their contribution to the community and economy.
“Nearly 300 jobs have been lost in Townsville, that’s just plain dumb – so I am supporting this campaign to end live export and if elected to the seat of Herbert look forward to working with the Union and broader industry to address the issue,” said Mooney.

“My father was a butcher so I’ve been a long-time supporter of the meat industry and meat processing,” he said.

The AMIEU press conference was set on the headland in front of the seaport which is frequented by live export vessels. Local meat workers peppered the headland as they came out in solidarity to fight for their jobs, two of whom were dressed as seven ft. trays of packaged meat.



Queensland Premier, Anna Bligh raised her concerns in Parliament last week saying that it is not in the long term interest of livestock producers for the industry to decline.

“Top if the list will be the impact of live cattle exports,” said Bligh.

“I have met with the Meat Processing Industry and I know they are very concerned about the number of live cattle being sent overseas, instead of processed here…abattoirs and the jobs of meat workers, are not viable without a consistent supply of stock.” She said

AMIEU Federal Secretary, Brian Crawford said that, “Every shipload of animals exported and processed overseas means less jobs right here in Queensland.

Local meat worker, Tiffany Kerle spoke about the huge impact that live export is having on Australian workers, their families and local communities.

“The loss of jobs and scaling-back of shifts is particularly hard on working mothers who have to be there for their family and for student who are trying to pay for their education.” Said Kerle.

“This year, for 267 people who no longer had employment it was just another hit, we all struggled to make payments on rent, mortgages, cars and to put food on the table due to live export,” she said.

The AMIEU is calling for the Government to phase out live export, implement a chilled meat trade and in doing so, recognise the huge benefits that keeping Australian meat processing jobs in Australia will have on the economy and rural and regional communities.

The Daily Telegraph published the following article regarding today’s forum at Parliament House:

Calls to end Australia’s ‘inhumane’ sheep export

* By Andrew Drummond
* From: AAP
* March 10, 2010 2:56PM

IN years to come, Australians will view the nation’s “inhumane” live animal exports with similar abhorrence to slave trading, animal welfare advocates say.

Some four million sheep leave Australian shores each year, embarking on a “long, cruel journey” to the Middle East, the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) says.

During a public forum at NSW Parliament House on Wednesday, WSPA said sheep which survived the three-week trip often arrived injured before being callously slaughtered.

It claims only 20 per cent of Australian sheep exported live are used for religious purposes and is calling for a shift to a chilled meat trade.

However, sheep farmer Andrew Martel told the forum the Middle East market demanded live meat imports and if Australia did not meet that need, other countries would.

Freelance journalist Reuben Brand, commissioned by WSPA, showed footage of his recent visits to Middle Eastern livestock saleyards and abattoirs.

He said he witnessed shipments of live sheep arrive from Australia “suffering from a heightened state of stress” during the past seven months.

“I saw sheep being dragged by the back legs, trussed, bound and thrown into car boots … animals were being killed - skinned and gutted - in front of other animals.”

He said his research found 40,000 sheep died in transit annually and animals often didn’t have adequate access to water and were in cramped conditions with about three sheep per square metre, standing on wire mesh flooring.

WSPA programs director Emily Reeves said it was “shameful” both sides of federal politics supported the trade, particularly when more Australian jobs could be supported by adopting a chilled meat trade.

“We have Halal-accredited meat processors here in Australia who could be doing that work,” she said.

WSPA research found a sheep processed in Australia was worth 20 per cent more to the economy than a sheep exported live.

Ms Reeves conceded the Australian government had worked in conjunction with foreign authorities to improve conditions for animals, but said “inhumane” treatment continued.

She said an end to live meat exports was a long-term goal, considering Australia was the world’s largest exporter of live sheep.

But Ms Reeves said it would happen one day and Australians would then “look back on these days in horror, as we do now of the slave trade”.

Mr Martel, from Wellington in central western NSW, accepted the trade wasn’t “squeaky clean”, but said it was improving and Australia needed to remain in the market.

“They want live sheep. That’s the market, and if we don’t offer that then they will get it from somewhere else,” he said.

“One of their other options is to source the stock from China, and then we will see how the humane treatment goes.”

Below is a blog post from the Humane Chain’s website regarding the investigation launch and Parliament House Forum:

WSPA launches new live export cruelty investigation today alongside the Meat Workers Union

Below is a video I put together regarding the investigations I did in livestock markets and abattoirs in the Middle East - included in the video are interviews with Associate Professor Paul McGreevy, veterinary Behaviourist, Dr Manuela Trueby and Murshid F.A. Ali ElSenossi, Islamic Scholar and Teacher.

This video was broadcast today at Parliament House in Sydney as part of the Humane Chain Forum about the live export trade:

Today I launched an investigation I did in the Middle East regarding the live export trade from Australia. The forum was held at Parliament House in Sydney and opened by Lord Mayor Clover Moore.

Over the past seven months I have been working closely with the World Society for the protection of Animals (WSPA) and have undertaken numerous in depth investigation throughout the Middle East regarding the Live export trade from Australia. The investigation covers five countries and highlights the undeniable cruelty these animals endure from the point of pick up in Australia, the four week sea voyage and the handling and slaughter at their destination.

WSPA’s Program Manager, Emily Reeves chaired the event and in an interview with The Age speaks about the investigations and the ongoing cruelty that occurs because if it.

“We’ve got the economic data to show live export is bad business, we’ve got a rural industry crippled through poorly thought-out Government policy and we’ve got yet more proof that Australian animals are being handled and slaughtered in a way that would horrify Australians,” Ms Reeves said.

Grant Courtney, President of the Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union (AMIEU) also spoke at the forum shedding light on the impact the live export trade is having on the Meat Processing industry and the huge amount of jobs that have been lost because of it.

With 40,000 jobs lost so far and 150 abattoirs shut down the live export trade is crippling Australian meat processing industry.

“I can’t understand why the Government is sticking its head in the sand when thousands of Australian jobs are being lost due to this trade,” he said.

The event went off without a hitch and ended with a Q and A session.

Thank you to all who attended and took part.

The following is a slide-show I put together using the images I took during my investigations in the Middle East regarding the live animal export trade. It was published on one of the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) social media outlets:

Please click the image to view the slide-show

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore is hosting a Humane Chain forum to highlight the ongoing inhumane and economically damaging live animal export industry in Australia.

The event will also present evidence collected during WSPA’s recent investigation into the mistreatment of Australian sheep. Investigators have documented cruelty throughout the live export supply chain, from transportation on ships, through to holding yards and abattoirs in the Middle East.

Grant Courtney, Federal President of the Australiasian Meat Industry Employees Union (AMIEU) will be discussing the negative economic and social impact of live animal exports on rural communities. And will highlight the more humane and economically viable alternatives to the trade and how the Australian Government can protect Australian jobs.

We invite you to come along and learn more about the live sheep export trade, meet like-minded people and find out how you can help end the intolerable cruelty of live exports.

Where: Parliamentary Theatrette, NSW Parliament House, Macquarie St, Sydney

When: 10am for a 10.30 start until 12pm, Wednesday, March 10, 2010

RSVP: Limited seats available and allocated on a first come, first served basis. Please RSVP by emailing jessicaborg@wspa.org.au.

Together we can end this unnecessary cruelty - http://www.humanechain.org.au/

Jessica Borg
Programs Officer
WSPA Australia
02 9902 8000

The following article by Eric Margolis is from the Toronto Sun:

WARS SENDING U.S. INTO RUIN

U.S. President Barack Obama calls the $3.8-trillion US budget he just sent to Congress a major step in restoring America’s economic health.

In fact, it’s another potent fix given to a sick patient deeply addicted to the dangerous drug — debt.

More empires have fallen because of reckless finances than invasion. The latest example was the Soviet Union, which spent itself into ruin by buying tanks.

Washington’s deficit (the difference between spending and income from taxes) will reach a vertiginous $1.6 trillion US this year. The huge sum will be borrowed, mostly from China and Japan, to which the U.S. already owes $1.5 trillion. Debt service will cost $250 billion.

To spend $1 trillion, one would have had to start spending $1 million daily soon after Rome was founded and continue for 2,738 years until today.

Obama’s total military budget is nearly $1 trillion. This includes Pentagon spending of $880 billion. Add secret black programs (about $70 billion); military aid to foreign nations like Egypt, Israel and Pakistan; 225,000 military “contractors” (mercenaries and workers); and veterans’ costs. Add $75 billion (nearly four times Canada’s total defence budget) for 16 intelligence agencies with 200,000 employees.

The Afghanistan and Iraq wars ($1 trillion so far), will cost $200-250 billion more this year, including hidden and indirect expenses. Obama’s Afghan “surge” of 30,000 new troops will cost an additional $33 billion — more than Germany’s total defence budget.

No wonder U.S. defence stocks rose after Peace Laureate Obama’s “austerity” budget.

Military and intelligence spending relentlessly increase as unemployment heads over 10% and the economy bleeds red ink. America has become the Sick Man of the Western Hemisphere, an economic cripple like the defunct Ottoman Empire.

The Pentagon now accounts for half of total world military spending. Add America’s rich NATO allies and Japan, and the figure reaches 75%.

China and Russia combined spend only a paltry 10% of what the U.S. spends on defence.

There are 750 U.S. military bases in 50 nations and 255,000 service members stationed abroad, 116,000 in Europe, nearly 100,000 in Japan and South Korea.

Military spending gobbles up 19% of federal spending and at least 44% of tax revenues. During the Bush administration, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars — funded by borrowing — cost each American family more than $25,000.

Like Bush, Obama is paying for America’s wars through supplemental authorizations ­— putting them on the nation’s already maxed-out credit card. Future generations will be stuck with the bill.

This presidential and congressional jiggery-pokery is the height of public dishonesty.

America’s wars ought to be paid for through taxes, not bookkeeping fraud.

If U.S. taxpayers actually had to pay for the Afghan and Iraq wars, these conflicts would end in short order.

America needs a fair, honest war tax.

The U.S. clearly has reached the point of imperial overreach. Military spending and debt-servicing are cannibalizing the U.S. economy, the real basis of its world power. Besides the late U.S.S.R., the U.S. also increasingly resembles the dying British Empire in 1945, crushed by immense debts incurred to wage the Second World War, unable to continue financing or defending the imperium, yet still imbued with imperial pretensions.

It is increasingly clear the president is not in control of America’s runaway military juggernaut. Sixty years ago, the great President Dwight Eisenhower, whose portrait I keep by my desk, warned Americans to beware of the military-industrial complex. Six decades later, partisans of permanent war and world domination have joined Wall Street’s money lenders to put America into thrall.

Increasing numbers of Americans are rightly outraged and fearful of runaway deficits. Most do not understand their political leaders are also spending their nation into ruin through unnecessary foreign wars and a vainglorious attempt to control much of the globe — what neocons call “full spectrum dominance.”

If Obama really were serious about restoring America’s economic health, he would demand military spending be slashed, quickly end the Iraq and Afghan wars and break up the nation’s giant Frankenbanks.

A horrific explosion in a crowded market place in Peshawar has killed up to 90 people - One of them a member of my family.

 

We hear about these attacks everyday, we see and read about them in the media, but we never really realise, or want to realise the human cost. It really hits home when someone you know dies in such a way.

 

Javed’s death has left a beautiful family behind who now have to pick up the pieces of a war that is not theirs, a war that has robbed them of a father, a husband, a brother an uncle and a son.

 

Rest in Peace brother.

My previous article, “Eyewitness to Pakistan turmoil” was re published in USA TODAY  and the Epoch Times, a leading Independent News Organisation with offices in 30 countries accross five continents and published in 17 languages.