The live exports industry is responsible for the brutal exploitation of animals around the world. It is unacceptable that the Australian Government stand by while the industry continues to abuse and degrade Australian animals through the live export trade. Lee Rhiannon will be tabling this petition in the Senate -- add your support today.

Greens Senator and animal welfare spokesperson Lee Rhiannon says criticism by Australia's chief veterinary officer of restraint boxes used to slaughter cattle in Indonesia, new footage of cruelty to Australian cattle in Israel and concerns about resumption of cattle exports to Vietnam build the case for a complete ban on live exports.

"These latest revelations show that unless the government responds to public concern and puts an end to the industry the sore of live exports will continue to be reopened," Senator Rhiannon said.

Greens Senator and animal welfare spokesperson Lee Rhiannon says the ongoing suffering of sheep stranded in South Australia during transport and new footage of Turkish abattoirs underlines the need to end live exports.

 “Mr Wilkie’s Bill legislating Australian standards and mandatory stunning in foreign abattoirs is a positive interim step, but if passed wouldn’t protect the 67,000 sheep stuck at Port Adelaide from the cruelty they are now experiencing on their way to the Middle East,” Senator Rhiannon said.

Commenting on today's report that 67,000 sheep have been stranded for a week at Port Adelaide because of the ship's mechanical problems, Greens NSW Senator and animal welfare spokesperson Lee Rhiannon said the situation was a timely reminder of why the federal government should back the Greens' bill to ban live exports due for debate this Thursday.

"The welfare of the thousands of sheep contained on the 'Al Messilah', a former car transporter built in 1980, has been compromised before they even reach the abattoirs of the Middle East," Senator Rhiannon said.

Australian Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon and animal welfare spokesperson will speak alongside Lyn White, Animals Australia Investigator and Peter Stevenson, Compassion in World Farming (UK) Policy Advisor at the Sydney Ban Live Exports Rally tomorrow. Rallies, organised by Animals Australia, are happening simultaneously in every city around Australia. The Sydney rally begins at 2.30pm in Martin Place.

Commenting on today’s report of new evidence about the mistreatment of Australian animal exports Greens NSW Senator and animal welfare spokesperson Lee Rhiannon has renewed her party’s call for the live export trade to be banned.  (The Australian).

Greens Senator for NSW Lee Rhiannon has called on the Federal government to resist industry demands for foreign aid money to be spent on improving and building new abattoirs in Indonesia, saying such a move will divert funding from the key task of overcoming poverty (“Human costs of export ban hitting hard says NT chief, The Age today).

The Australian Greens this afternoon reintroduced a bill into the Senate to ban live animal exports, the Live Animal Export (Slaughter) Prohibition Bill 2012.

"The live animal export trade is cruel, inhuman and immoral and the vast majority of Australians want it shut down.  This Greens bill would put an immediate end to the horrific treatment of Australian livestock in overseas abattoirs", said Greens Senator and animal spokesperson Lee Rhiannon.