The fit of deregulation that led to the live export debacle in Australia barely saved taxpayers $30,000, but it was good business for the Coalition and their donors.
Forced into taking action against the company responsible for sickening live sheep export conditions, the Department of Agriculture couldn't even bring itself to name it.
As government backbenchers move to ban the live sheep trade, the lies of industry advocate and politicians are being exposed.
The National Party has succeeded in keeping the brutal live sheep export industry alive, insisting that the bureaucrats at the heart of its failed regulatory system can be trusted to fix it.
During his period as Agriculture Minister, Barnaby Joyce halted any efforts to improve animal welfare standards in live exports, expunged animal welfare from his department and degraded existing protections. And his department has followed his example.
Four weeks on from revelations of the shocking conditions of live sheep exports, the government has done nothing but licence more ships of shame to the Middle East as the weather warms up.
A terrified government is rushing to do whatever it can to save the live export industry -- including attacking its own bureaucrats and embracing the opposition.
The company responsible for recent horrific footage of dying live export animals has been repeatedly found in breach of the what passes for industry regulation, and nothing has ever been done about it.
Good morning, early birds. The Prime Minister hits the dreaded 30. Plus, concerns for animal welfare as a live export ship is prohibited from leaving Western Australia. It's the news you need, with Chris Woods.
The process for developing animal welfare standards for Australian industry is broken -- something the government was told a long time ago by the Productivity Commission.