Posted: May 31st, 2011 - 7:13pm
Source: The Age

Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig has ordered an inquiry into the claims of mistreatment of Australian cattle exported to Indonesia.
Senator Ludwig said he was shocked by TV footage of mistreatment of these animals, shown on the ABC Four Corners program on Monday night.
He said it was clear that industry reforms to animal welfare standards had not gone far enough or been fast enough and much more needed to be done.
"I have ordered an immediate investigation into the footage by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and have asked them to provide me with all available options in response to the evidence," he said in a statement.
On the Four Corners program, film taken by animal welfare activists showed Australian cattle at various Indonesian abattoirs having their throats cut on average 10 times when it should take one stroke, dying prolonged deaths and being beaten and gouged.
Animals Australia, the RSPCA, and the Australian Greens and independent MP Andrew Wilkie, are now demanding the government end live cattle exports to Indonesia.
Industry body LiveCorp was handed the footage earlier this week and moved immediately to suspend trade to three abattoirs. It has sent training experts to a fourth.
"While we face many challenges in improving animal welfare in a developing country ... we've made major progress during the past decade," LiveCorp boss Cameron Hall has said.
"No other nation has the same commitment to animal welfare as Australia and no other country invests in animal welfare like we do."