4 corners and the live cattle exports

[Ken Gargett]

'4 corners' has long been the pinnacle of the invetigative journalism on tv in this country, but lately it seems to have lost its focus and while the reports do show some important issues, they seem to have become very one-sided (usually the side of the ratbag left agenda). the stuff on the murray-darling river system was important but when you have people claiming that they can't catch fish at certain points in the river for all sorts of (important) reasons but leave out the rather vital fact that the main reason is that the authorities have built barricades preventing the fish access, one wonders. their best report of late was the one on head injuries to kids in sport but it was simply replaying a doco from the states.

now we have the live cattle exports (i have not seen the actual show but it has created a huge fuss here) and undoubtedly that is important and there are genuine concerns but it is worth printing the letter below, doing the rounds.

Subject: FW: Some Balance on the Live Export to Indonesis Debate

Dear All,

I hope you do not mind me sending you this but a number of my friends and clients in the Northern Territory are being put out of business by the immediate blanket ban on live cattle exports to Indonesia because of a TV program.

The 4 Corners program highlighted some terrible animal handling in some small Indonesian abattoirs. That this is happening is a disgrace and reflects very badly on the Australian Meat and Livestock Corporation and the Indonesian authorities.

The program should be commended for blowing the issue wide open. Unfortunately the presentation was far from balanced - as always there are two sides to the story. The response by the Federal Government to immediately ban all live exports is outrageous given the economic and social chaos this is causing. Elders for example, cannot now process cattle through their own abattoir (which is world class) because it happens to be in Indonesia.

Here is a letter from a fellow called Scott Braithwaite to the 4 Corners producers. Many doubt that the other side of the story and a sensible reaction to the revelations in the program will ever see the light of day.

The bush telegraph has asked me to send this letter on as a result.

Regards

David Harris

Dear Sir,

I must introduce myself. My name is Scot Braithwaite and my life has basically revolved around

live export since I was 10 years old. I was unloading cattle boats in Malaysia at the age of 13. I

have worked for all the major cattle companies including as a Head Stockman in the Northern

Territory. I have a degree in economics from the Queensland University and I personally have

sold more than 1.5 million head of cattle into Indonesia since 1991. I am presently employed as

the marketing manager for Wellard rural exports.

I am writing to you after the Monday program to say that although I abhor the treatment of the

animals shown in the video, your one sided approach to the subject and the possible effect of

that of a ban on live exports is too big a price to pay for a report based on the evidence of an

organization that’s charter is to shut us down. I have the following points to make. I would like

to have the same time as those who denigrated my life to show you the other side of our

industry. To show you what is really going on. In Australia there used to be thing about “A fair

Goâ€. You have gone with images provided by one person followed up by your investigative

journalist who spent a week in Indonesia. Your report makes out that close to 100% of

Australian cattle are treated as was shown on TV.

1 the ship that appears in the footage “for less than 30 seconds†is a vessel that cost tens of

millions of dollars to build. We have had 3 separate media groups sail with this ship and it can in

no uncertain terms be described as best in class. The Wellard group has another 3 vessels of the

same standard with another 2 being built in China. This is a total investment of 400 million

dollars to ensure that livestock exports from Australia are undertaken at the utmost levels of

cow comfort and animal welfare.

2 the feedlot that was filmed was given a 10 second view. This feedlot is without a doubt world

class. Your viewers should have at least had the opportunity to view large numbers of cattle

eating and sleeping comfortably in a fantastic facility. This company has in addition moved to kill

all his cattle through stunning system that he has control of. This owner has spent 20 years of

his life in the industry, has built his business from nothing, has done all that is required of him

from an animal welfare point of view yet your reporter makes no mention of these things.

3 within A 3 HOUR DRIVE OR a 15 Minute helicopter there are another 3 world class facilities. All

three feedlots including the one filmed, are at, or better than, what can be found in Australia.

The cattle being fed, and the ration being fed, leads to a lot less animal health issues then a

similar size operation in Australia.

One of these facilities is operated and owned by a large Australian pastoral house. They had no

mention in your supposed unbiased report. The operation is run by a North Queensland man

who, through His absolute dedication to excellence has built a feedlot and slaughtering system

that his company, the industry and himself can be very proud of. The system is closed, all the

cattle are already killed through their own abattoir. They import 20 to 25000 cattle year. They

have been doing this for at least 5 years. Why should they be shut down? For what reason could

anyone justify closing this operation down, especially without even bothering to look at what

goes on.

4 the other world class feedlots that could have been investigated with a 3 hour ride in the car

are owned by a large publicly listed Indonesian company. In all, they have on feed 50,000 cattle

and import about 120,000 cattle a year. They have recently built an abattoir( the one that was

briefly shown on the program) They built this 2 years ago as they knew that modern methods

must come to Indonesia and they were willing to make the investment to make it happen.

The total investment from these 3 feedlotters alone in infrastructure and stock is over 100

million dollars. Add to that the hundreds of millions that Wellard have recently invested in ships

and do you really believe that these people would leave the final product to a murderous

bastard with a blunt knife? They not only have tried to ensure the welfare of the animal but

have made investments to make the changes all along the chain. These people deserve to have

their side of the story heard. If the system is not perfect, and it isn’t, they have the wherewithal

and the incentive to make it happen in a very short time.

These 3 importers who have shown a commitment to everything good about animal production,

handle 45 % of total imports.

The other major issue that was not covered was the social responsibility that all feedlotters in

Indonesia practice. Their operations are in relatively isolated poor areas; the feedlots provide

employment opportunity, advancement through effort, and a market for thousands of tons of

feedstuffs grown for the cattle. My understanding is that 8000 people are directly employed by

the feedlots and over 1000000 people are reliant on the regular income made from supplying

corn silage and other feedstuffs. This is not made up, it is fact. It can be easily checked. I will bet

my 1000000 farmers against the 1000000 signatures on the ban order. It is very easy to sit in

your comfortable chair and criticize but is it really worth the human cost to ban something that

can be fixed and fixed reasonable quickly?

That is Sumatra.

In JKT there is the largest privately owned abattoir that kills about 4 to 6000 heads a month. It is

a well run facility that has no welfare issues. In addition it was working on getting a stun system

in place well before the 4 corners report. No photos from here, yet this is another who has

been doing the right thing and who will lose his business if the trade is banned.

The largest Importer in to Jakarta, has also built a slaughter facility in the past 12 months. It has

not been commissioned yet but can be made ready within a month. They also have a private

bone to pick with the program. AS was not reported in the show, abattoirs in Indonesia are

operated by any number of individual ‘Wholesalersâ€. They control the space and the manpower

kills their number for the night and then hand over to the next team. In any one night 8 to 10

separate operators can be using the same facility. In the case of the footage of the head

slapping the camera panned to the cattle waiting and the tags of AA, Newcastle Waters and his

company were made very prominent. Yes, they were there but the team that handled was

different to one being filmed. They protest, that their crews are well trained, no head slapping

occurs and very large and sharp knives are used to ensure a bloody but quick end. I have no

reason to doubt them because I have seen a lot of their cattle handled at point of slaughter and

their crews are well trained with immediate results. Where can their case be heard?

I have watched literally thousands of cattle slaughtered in the boxes in Indonesia. Yes there are

problems, as there are at every point of slaughter on every type of animal in the world, but 98%

of the cattle I watched killed was quick and without fuss. Why is there not one shot of what

happens 98% of the time? The shots of outright cruelty are totally unacceptable and the

slaughter of cattle is still gruesome and confronting but is not as prevalent as portrayed in your

report. Yes it does some times happen but it is the exception not the rule. And we are already

taking steps to improve the system and we have the ability to ensure all animals are stunned in

a very short time.

Yes there are a couple of operators who in the short term will not be able to handle the new

way. But they will be dropped, no commitment to stunning, no supply. No negotiation. There

are also a number of operators privately owned who were, to all intents and purposes, doing

the right thing. They were asked to supply through the boxes and they have. They will be asked

to only supply though a stunning FACILITY and they will. They have far too much invested in the

whole industry over many years to not do as we ask.

I am asking for a fair go. You have been expertly manipulated. Hear the actual other side of the

story let the Australian public see both sides. I am happy to make all the arrangements. This is

too important to let sit with the images you portrayed on Monday without recourse.

Scot Braithwaite

[headstand]

Of all the bad agendas, the "ratbag left agenda" is the worst.

On a serious note: when I have the balls to slaughter the livestock I plan to eat, then and only then, will I feel qualified to judge those who do that task day-in and day-out on my behalf.

Alan