Live animal exporters disappointed by backtrack on Government commitment

The Labour-led government banned the export of live animals by sea trade nearly three years ago. Photo / Alan Gibson

By RNZ

Exporters of live animals by sea are feeling “not flash” about the Government’s announcement that it will not resume the trade this term.

On Wednesday, senior National MP Todd McClay told RNZ the party would not progress the move to reverse a ban on live animal exports by sea.

It followed an announcement by the Associate Agriculture Minister responsible for animal welfare, Andrew Hoggard, that he did not expect the legislation to progress this side of November’s general election.

“While discussions are ongoing, Cabinet has not agreed any final decisions,” he said.

Nearly three years ago, the Labour-led government banned the trade worth around $374 million, after a ship en route to China capsized in 2020, killing 41 crew members - including two New Zealanders - and nearly 6000 cattle.

But during the last election, there was a push for the practice to resume.

It featured in coalition agreements between National and Act and National and New Zealand First.

Since then, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has been working with industry to create so-called gold standards for live exports.

Industry group Livestock Export NZ’s executive director, Glen Neal, said it spent years working closely with MPI on developing the new standards.

But he said he believed Cabinet did not understand that the sector was also focused on animal welfare.

“The decision leaves us grasping for what the future of the sector really is,” he said.

“We couldn’t agree more with the SPCA and others that this is about animal welfare, which is why we work so closely with MPI on new standards; on standards that New Zealanders could justifiably be proud of, that lined up with our reputation as a proud trading nation in agricultural products.”

He said the Government went quiet on it last year.

“This decision announced from Minister Hoggard, unfortunately, comes as no surprise.

“We haven’t heard much for the last nine months on this.

“We elected this Government on the back of many promises, but one of them did include reinstating the trade, and so three years of missing $300 million in New Zealand’s rural economies, it does leave you scratching your head about why.

“$300 million, the minister mentioned last night, that per year.

“That’s what we’re leaving on the table in terms of trade with countries like Indonesia.”

Neal said New Zealand helped contribute to growing Indonesia’s domestic dairy herd, and China wanted this, too.

He said these markets wanted dairy cattle from New Zealand, and may look to countries with lower welfare standards to plug the gap.

“Effectively, this decision just postpones the introduction of those good standards, postpones New Zealand’s re-entry into this market.”

Industry group Livestock Export New Zealand represented firms involved with the trade, like farmers, stock agents, shipping companies and veterinarians.

- RNZ