A livestock ship in Napier Port before the ban. Photo / Isobella Comber
A livestock ship in Napier Port before the ban. Photo / Isobella Comber
Reversing a ban on livestock exports by sea should be passed into law before the next election in 2026, the minister in charge says.
However, it is unclear at this stage when the first shipment of cattle - or other livestock - could leave the country once the Animal WelfareAct is amended.
The reversal seeks to reinstate livestock exports by sea for cattle, deer, goats, and sheep for breeding purposes (not slaughter).
The coalition Government is now working to reverse the ban, albeit with higher standards for animal welfare.
Minister Andrew Hoggard is working on the plans. Photo / RNZ, Samuel Rillstone
A paper is expected to go before Cabinet within the next couple of months, which will be followed by a first reading of the amendment bill.
Associate Minister of Agriculture Andrew Hoggard said that as well as amending the Act, regulations would be developed “to support exporters to know how to ensure high standards of animal welfare”.
“We intend to pass the amendment bill and the regulations into law prior to the next election,” he said this week.
One of the key reasons for the export ban was a review following the Gulf Livestock 1 disaster in 2020.
A ship left Napier Port for China before sinking off the coast of Japan during a typhoon, resulting in the deaths of 41 crew including two New Zealanders and nearly 6000 cattle.
Historically, cattle have been the largest market for livestock exports.
New Zealand’s livestock exports by sea were reportedly worth $374 million in 2022.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Hawke’s Bay Today about the ban reversal during a visit to the region last week.
“New Zealand doesn’t have a luxury of turning off growth,” he said.
“What we have to reassure ourselves is that we have the animal standards in place and that the transportation is appropriate, and that the countries we are going to ship live exports to actually have similar or better standards than New Zealand. That is what Minister Hoggard is working his way through.”
SPCA chief scientific officer Arnja Dale said most people who stepped onto a livestock ship would be “absolutely appalled” at the conditions.
She said the average length of a trip from New Zealand to China, for example, was 19 days for a livestock vessel. She said cattle were largely kept in tight spaces and the high temperatures near the equator caused added distress.
“The Government is trying to tell us you can have good animal welfare on boats, but all of the research that has been done on animals on boats categorically shows that you can’t, so it is an oxymoron.”
She said New Zealand also cannot guarantee or enforce the welfare of animals once they land in another country.
“We are hoping [the reversal] keeps getting delayed so that it becomes an election issue,” she said.
“This is an absolute disaster for our animals.”
A poll before the 2023 election, showed 51% of Kiwis surveyed wanted the ban to continue, while 30% wanted to see the practice resume with better requirements for animal welfare.
Gary Hamilton-Irvine is a Hawke’s Bay-based reporter who covers a range of news topics including business, councils, breaking news and cyclone recovery. He formerly worked at News Corp Australia.
