RESULTS released this week from a six-year project examining community sentiment, indicating that public sentiment towards live exports is more positive than ever, show the federal government’s decision to ban live sheep exports by sea is unjustified, according to the Australian Livestock Exporters Council (ALEC).

ALEC chief executive officer Mark Harvey-Sutton said the results underscored what the industry had known for a long time.

“We know that the community holds balanced and nuanced views on live exports. They understand that the measures exporters put in place together with Australia’s regulatory requirements, is why Australia has the best animal welfare in the world.

“They also understand that the Labor government’s punitive ban on live sheep will hurt farmers, truckies and small businesses, particularly in Western Australia, and that it is manifestly unfair,” he said.

He said that the fact that 76 per cent of survey respondents agreed that the benefits of the industry are equal to or outweigh the costs of live export indicates that people can see the need for live exports as part of Australia’s sheep industry.

“The community also acknowledges the important role the industry plays in our trading partners’ food security, with 64 per cent of respondents agreeing that the trade improved diet and nutrition in our markets.

“The increase in community sentiment here puts the government’s tired line about support for the ban to bed. It’s simply not true and this survey is further evidence toward that.

“Combined with the overwhelming support for Keep the Sheep, the latest results from this survey demonstrate that the community sees the need for the industry to continue and will support us in the face of activist-driven policies.”