Saudi minister wants NZ govt to re-open sheep exports

I have very fond memories of my many trips to New Zealand, but if you resume your export trade in live animals, I will never go there again. As an international travel consultant, I will be advising my clients to similarly boycott New Zealand and its products.
The Australian government and the egregiously cruel live export "industry" should be hanging their heads in shame. They KNOW what happens to the hundreds of thousands of animals they ship. There is clear evidence of the most savage cruelty ever filmed, by Animals Australia, PETA and others. Surely NZ doesn't want to attract Australia's shocking international reputation for this most terrible abuse of innocent animals.

Quaker Concern for Animals in Britain has, for some years, been supporting the excellent Australian campaigners against the cruelty of the live export trade.
Please, New Zealand, don't consider resuming this brutal and unethical trade - we expect better of your government.

Australia has now gained a reputation for animal cruelty as a result of its trade in live animals for slaughter in the Middle East and SE Asia. Does New Zealand want the same reputation?
The Hajj is a time when streets are awash with the blood of tens of thousands of innocent, suffering animals, who have suffered torture already during long distance transport and brutal handling.
Tens of thousands of Australian animals die on the ships alone, and are regarded as nothing more than "collateral damage"; they starve to death, die of heat exhaustion, disease, and trauma from the cruel handling.
Every country to which Australia exports live animals imports frozen meat, slaughtered in Australia. There is no possible excuse for this wretched trade in animal misery.
Please, New Zealand, say "not now, not ever".

Does New Zealand really want to take such a backward step as resuming the export of live animals to the Middle East, when world-wide, the long distance transport of animals has been shown to be both brutal and unnecessary?40,000 Australian sheep die every year on these ships of shame. They die of starvation, heat exhaustion, trauma and disease, and as appalling as their suffering is, the fate of the survivors is worse. They are traumatized, beaten, hog-tied, and dragged to slaughter by their ears and legs. Their necks are hacked at with blunt knives until they bleed, all this while they are fully conscious.Please, New Zealand, please do not show yourself as completely lacking in humanity and compassion as Australia does.This is a shameful, disgraceful, egregiously cruel trade - do not allow yourselves to be part of it.Suzanne Cass, Hobart, Australia

No way should New Zealand be suckered into dealing with live trade.This trade is without doubt extremely cruel and torturous for the animals - a fact which bypasses those from Middle Eastern countries.If they want innocent creatures to slaughter for the slaughterfest called Hajj- then let them breed them.The Hajj is a blood fest where they slaughter thousands of animals without pre-stunning. Frankly I dont care why they do it - they do it and that's enough.The warning is clear as a bell with PETA/WSPA/Animals Australia and Australia's live, or should we say death, trade. If New Zealand wants to earn a name for itself as being cruel and barbarous then take no lesson and live export. Then watch the world boycott New Zealand products...and it will happen.