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2016-2017
THE PARLIAMENT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
THE SENATE
LIVE ANIMAL EXPORT (SLAUGHTER) PROHIBITION BILL 2017
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
(Circulated by the authority of Senator Rhiannon)
Live Animal Export (Slaughter) Prohibition Bill 2017
OUTLINE
The Live Animal Export (Slaughter) Prohibition Bill 2017 amends the Export Control Act 1982 to end the
export of live animals for slaughter.
The bill contains provisions that will make it unlawful to export from Australia livestock for slaughter with a
commencement start time from the start of the day 2 years after the day the Act commences.
NOTES ON CLAUSES
Clause 1 - Short Title
1. This is a formal provision specifying the short title of the bill.
Clause 2 - Commencement
2. This provides for the commencement of the Act. It provides that the substantive provisions of the Act will
commence the day after the Act receives Royal Assent.
Clause 3 - Schedule(s)
3. This clause provides that an Act that is specified in a Schedule is amended or repealed as set out in that
Schedule, and any other item in a Schedule operates according to its terms.
Schedule 1 - Item 1
4. This item inserts a new section 7AA which provides in subsection (1) definitions of live-stock and live-
stock for slaughter to limit the application of the section to live-stock, as defined in section 3 of the Australian
Meat and Live-stock Industry Act 1997 as cattle, calves, sheep, lambs, goats or other prescribed animals, that
is intended to be exported and slaughtered overseas. Subsection (1) also provides that the commencement of
the prohibition of the export of live-stock for slaughter is from the start of the day 2 years after the day the Act
commences.
5. Subsection (2) provides that the regulations are taken to have declared live-stock for slaughter as prescribed
goods under the Export Control Act. Subsection (3) provides that the regulations are taken to have prohibited
absolutely the export of live-stock for slaughter.
Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights
Prepared in accordance with Part 3 of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011
Live Animal Export (Slaughter) Prohibition Bill 2017
This Bill is compatible with the human rights and freedoms recognised or declared in the
international instruments listed in section 3 of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011.
Overview of the Bill/Legislative Instrument
The Live Animal Export (Slaughter) Prohibition Bill amends the Export Control Act 1982 to prohibit
the export of cattle, calves, sheep, lambs, goats or other prescribed animals for slaughter overseas.
Human rights implications
This Bill does not engage any of the applicable rights or freedoms, including the human right to work
or rights in work. This bill promotes employment in the domestic livestock processing industry and
associated supply chains.
Numerous economic reports note: that a very small percentage of Australian livestock producers sell
into the live export trade, which produces a small percentage of the income streams for the large
majority of those producers; that domestically processed animals are of greater value to the
Australian economy, as are the maintenance and creation of domestic employment along the supply
chain; that international market factors beyond Australia's control present a constant threat to the
sustainability of the live export industry; and that the live export trade is in direct competition with
the domestic meat processing industry, in that the closure of domestic processors and the loss of local
employment can be directly attributable to the growth of the live export trade.1
It is also noted that the chilled sheep and cattle meat trade is consistently worth some 750% more in
trade income than live exports;2 and that domestic on farm jobs and supply chains such as stockmen,
transport and feedlots are similarly required for domestically processed animals.
This bill fulfils humanity's responsibility to protect and defend the rights of animals to live a life free
of cruelty and suffering.
Conclusion
This Bill is compatible with human rights as it does not raise any human rights issues.
Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon
1
Western Australia Ministerial Taskforce, Cattle and Sheep Meat Processing in Western Australia (2004); ACIL Tasman
Australian Live Sheep Exports (2009); ACIL Tasman The Value of Live Sheep Exports from Western Australia (2009);
S.G.Heilbron, The Future of the Queensland Beef Industry and the Impact of Live Cattle Exports (2010); ACIL Tasman
An economic analysis of the live exportation of cattle from northern Australia (2012); Sapere Research Group,
Economic impact of phasing out the live sheep export trade (2013); ABARES Live export trade assessment (2014)
2
Agricultural Commodities Statistics Rural commodities -Meat - general (2001-2015)