Live Export of Sheep to be Banned by Australia in 2028

Australia has decided to prohibit the live export of sheep by sea starting May 2028, following numerous controversial incidents involving livestock carriers.

Over the years, the volume of sheep exported from Australia by sea has significantly decreased. According to data from Canberra, in the 2022-23 period, around 652,000 sheep were exported by sea, a sharp drop from the 5.92 million sheep exported 20 years earlier.

This government decision to end all sea shipments of livestock is anticipated to encounter substantial opposition.

“We will not rest until this misguided policy is overturned,” stated Tony Mahar, the CEO of the National Farmers’ Federation. “Today’s announcement just sentences foreign sheep to the practices we banned a decade ago.”

Earlier this year, the livestock carrier Bahijah gained attention when it was forced to return to Australia with 16,000 animals on board, before being redirected via the Cape of Good Hope.