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57,000 rejected Aussie sheep to be given away
15 Sep 2003
A shipment of 57,000 live sheep, originally destined for Saudi Arabia but rejected due to a claim too many were diseased, will be given away to a Middle Eastern country, the Trade Minister Mark Vaile said. A Saudi vet claimed that six per cent of the sheep had scabby mouth when they arrived in August, although an AQIS-approved vet disputed the claim, saying only 0.35 per cent of the shipment was affected.
The sheep were subsequently offered to a second Middle East country and rejected there too, and now will be given away. The Trade Minister says he does not know whether the initial rejection was politically motivated but he confirmed that on their departure from Australia the sheep had been certified as acceptable.
Mr Vaile said trade of live sheep and cattle is worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Australia and must not be put at risk because some protocols are not being observed in a particular way. We're going to ensure this is fixed, he said.
Tradingroom.com.au, 14/9/03.
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