Australia live animal export: Agriculture Minister announces inspector



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A tough new cop on the beat of the police Australia's live export industry after a damning review revealed disastrous failings to stop animal cruelty.

Agriculture Minister David Littleproud on Wednesday released Philip Moss.

The new external inspector-general will oversee the Agriculture Department's regulation of live animal exports.

There will also be a leading regulatory officer within the department to improve compliance and culture.

The department's animal welfare branch, which was scrapped by agriculture minister Barnaby Joyce in 2013, will be reinstated.

New animal welfare indicators will be developed along the supply chain.

"We've always been reactionary around the world, governments of all persuasion, and now we're being proactive," Mr Littleproud told reporters in NSW.

The Moss Review found the skills, resources and technology for effective regulation were lacking, with concerns of the dual roles in promoting the trade and policing it could be contradictory.

Getting rid of the animal welfare branch from the regulator's ability to achieve that balance.

Mr Moss said it was telling the department he had never used it before.

"As a regulator, the department appears in some respects to have been inactive," the review says.

"It has failed to address issues within the regulatory framework leading to continuing incidents."

A department staff member commented that it was a little under consideration, as they would not be well received or fairly considered.

"To be candid, I'm disappointed that we have a culture where people are feeling as though they are too scared to come forward and report incidents," Mr Littleproud said.

In response, the department will implement a system of procedures and services.

In April, footage of 2400 sheep dying on trips to the Middle East during a shipment in August 2017, prompting Mr Littleproud to initiate a range of reviews.

Earlier in the year, the government announced that it would be able to report to the Middle East and stocking densities reduced by 28 per cent.

Despite the government and the Agriculture Department accepting all 31 of the Moss review's recommendations, Labor is standing firm on pushing for a five-year phase out off sheep exports.

The National Farmers 'Federation and the Australian Livestock Exporters' Council believe the new measures will be in place.

But the Greens, some crossbench MPs and animal welfare advocates say the review of the industry must be shut down.

Mr Littlepoud called on Labor to fight for new penalties on dodgy live exporters, which has stalled because of an opposition amendment to phase out the trade over five years.

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