More room on board ships, tighter restrictions based on the conditions in the destination port, and mandatory stunning as a basic precursor for the slaughter of livestock are just a few of the ideas to be put forward by the RSPCA, as part of a technical review of Australia's livestock export standards.
RSPCA Australia CEO Heather Neil said the fact millions of Australian sheep and cattle continued to be killed while conscious was unacceptable and out of step with community expectations.
The Federal Government has appointed former Western Australia Senator, and live export champion, Dr Chris Back as the independent chair of the Technical Advisory Committee.
The review had been backed by the Australian Livestock Exporters' Council and the RSPCA.
However, Ms Neil said it was "a very, very long time coming" after a review of standards for animals on board ships and planes was initially touted in 2011 in the Farmer Review.
She said she hoped the process would result in meaningful improvements in welfare standards for animals on board ships, beyond the current Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System, or ESCAS.
She would not be drawn on whether the appointment of Dr Back, a former livestock veterinarian whose parliamentary career was defined by his attempts during a Senate inquiry in 2011 to dismantle the damning video evidence of cruel practices in Indonesian abattoirs which led to a temporary export ban to that country, was appropriate.
"Our expectation of the standards is they are going to be based on science, they're going to address community expectations for improvements in the way animals are treated and the new standards are introduced very quickly," she said.
Too hot to travel to Middle East
The RSPCA has consistently argued for better conditions on board export vessels as well as other improvements to the current requirements under ESCAS.
"We shouldn't be taking animals into a region where temperatures are routinely above 40, 45 and sometimes 50 degrees for extended periods of time," she said.
"So there should be a period of time during the year when we don't send animals to the Middle East.
"And we've always argued for competent and independent vets to be on board ships.
"At the moment, we believe, vets are too linked to export companies, they're chosen by export companies and report via export companies. That should be an independent process to the Australian Government."
Livestock exporters back ongoing improvement
Australian livestock exporters have welcomed the review as an important step to ensuring Australia's Standards for the Export of Livestock (ASEL) reflected new technology and research and for it to remain a benchmark for a sustainable and growing live trade for Australia.
"Australia has long been recognised as the global leader in animal welfare and ASEL is regarded as the international gold standard in terms of the livestock export trade," Australian Livestock Exporters' Council CEO Simon Westaway said.
"But exporters are never complacent about the need for ongoing improvement."
The committee, which ultimately will report to the Federal Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR), also comprised of animal welfare experts Dr Teresa Collins and Dr Hugh Millar, regulation specialist Russell Phillips and livestock industry expert Kevin Shiell.
