Live sheep ban is unfriendly

Dear Echo News,

President Trump has turned the global trade on its head in a matter of weeks with his global tariff agenda.

Sure, the Albanese government can look dimly on what President Trump does and make statements that this is “not the act of a friend”.

However, in reality the Albanese Government is getting a taste of its own medicine as this is exactly how his government has treated our Middle Eastern trading partners with the ban on live sheep exports.

Despite longstanding trading friendships, the Albanese government has simply cast these to the side in the name of ideology.

Middle Eastern governments have made countless representations explaining that our trading relationship with them is intrinsically linked to live sheep.

They have repeatedly outlined the fact that the trade cannot be replaced by chilled and frozen meat, that it will cause job losses in their countries and imperil their food security – possibly irreparably damaging the relationship between our countries.

How has the Prime Minister responded? With indifference and ignorance and by saying we can sell them more processed meat! Essentially, that he doesn’t care.

When I was in the Middle East last year I met with several Australian diplomats. All discussions were informal and off the record.

However, in every single meeting it was raised how poorly received the policy has been and that it was a very sensitive topic that is impacting Australia’s broader agenda in these countries.

I would hasten to add that these Middle East markets are important  for other agricultural products such as beef, lamb, dairy, horticulture and grains.

Prime Minister Albanese has said words to the effect that retaliation is not the way to go, and that Australia seeks to set an example of how free trade should be done. This is a position our industry supports.

Noting that our Middle Eastern friends have been good enough not to retaliate, perhaps the best example the Prime Minister can give is by undertaking the “act of a friend” and reversing the ban on live sheep.

It’s not too late to do the right thing by some of our other longest standing international allies.

Mark Harvey-Sutton

Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council CEO

Appalling attitude of dog owners

Dear Echo News,

I’m writing to bring attention to the appalling attitude of a small section of dog owners across Midland, in terms of the mess these lowlifes deliberately leave behind when their dogs defecate.

My wife and I are dog owners and love dogs, but owning a dog brings enormous responsibility, to the dog and the community; sadly, however, there appears to be a group of self-entitled, irresponsible dog owners, who simply don’t care, which doesn’t augur well for society, as that attitude will surely not just be confined to ignoring their dog’s needs.

We regularly attend the Balfour Road dog run and everyone we meet with takes pride in cleaning up after their dog and keeping the place clean and tidy, as we should.

Yet every morning, or evening, we all have to walk around cleaning up after dogs that have been there throughout the day and night.

We have families with little kids and elderly people, all in a relatively confined (fenced) environment, and the Mundaring shire provides ample ‘poop bags’, it’s really easy and respectful to pick up after your dog and look after the environment and your neighbours.

But no, instead, there’s proof the real animals aren’t necessarily the dogs.

The other day, in a four-minute wander around the run, I picked up ten bags of dog faeces.

I took a photo and posted about the constant mess on both the dog run FB site and the Midland community FB site.

The response was even more shocking, as people related their experiences of dog poop left on their lawns and on footpaths, literally everywhere.

The lady who runs the coffee van at the dog park wrote that she and her partner pick up after dogs every time they arrive, along with syringes – and that’s not in the dog park, she’s talking about the surrounding area!

Others write that the walkways and paths throughout are covered in dog faeces, the Heritage Trail in particular, being a nightmare for anyone walking or bike riding.

I wonder at the mentality of the people who deliberately leave their dog’s poop behind – they must live in filthy conditions at their homes, and it doesn’t augur well for our communities when people obviously don’t care about their environment or their neighbours.

In many ways, it’s a sad reflection of our society, and it also reflects on the attitude of governments.

The safe Labor seat of Midland has long been ignored by the state government, and the City of Swan is notorious for its obvious lack of interest in presentation and beautification. The area is scruffy, footpaths and walkways don’t exist, or suddenly stop and dry, desolate, overgrown verges are the norm. I suspect that disinterest is reflected by some residents.

It’s time the City of Swan, Shire of Mundaring and the state government started leading by example and it’s time for rangers to be given free rein to start fining dog owners who don’t pick up.

A ticket for a $150 fine for not picking up after your dog would, I suspect, quickly lead to an attitude adjustment.

G Ross

Swan View