Live cattle export ban class action claimants | Australian Markets

Claimants within the long-running class action towards the Federal Government’s 2011 dwell cattle export ban have launched an appeal, difficult a current Federal Court ruling that the ban had no long-term affect on export numbers.

As reported by ABC’s WA Country Hour on August 7, the appeal is targeted on the courtroom’s findings relating to the extent of damages suffered by the industry, and the extent of compensation being supplied by the Government.

The class action, led by NT-based Brett Cattle Company, is looking for $510 million in compensation plus prices and curiosity. Only $215 million was supplied to claimants by the Government beneath Anthony Albanese.

Class action participant and former Hedland Export Depot proprietor Paul Brown informed the Countryman in June the supplied quantity was “gross”, “inadequate”, “paltry”, and “bordering on negligent”.

The Government, beneath former prime minister Julia Gillard, suspended Australia’s dwell cattle trade to Indonesia for six months after footage was proven on ABC of cattle being mistreated and slaughtered with out being shocked.

The transfer left 88,000 cattle sure for worldwide shores stranded, and ground the dwell cattle export industry to a halt.

Australia’s pastoral industry has been at conflict with the Federal Government within the years since, with a class action of 300 cattle producers launched in 2014 in an attempt to assert $510 million in compensation.

But Mr Brown stated the ban had a devastating impact on Australian pastoralists past financial circumstances. He stated the money being supplied failed to incorporate any provision for compensation, loss of business, anguish, or stress.

The Federal Court sided with the class action in 2020 saying the ban was illegal, however lead complainant — NT-based Brett Cattle Company — is the one plaintiff to have obtained any compensation after the Federal Court’s discovering in 2020.

In June, Federal Court Justice Tom Thawley stated that dwell cattle exports in 2012 and 2013 weren’t affected by the ban in 2011 — a declare pastoralists have vehemently denied.

Figures from Meat and Livestock Australia show Australia exported 521,000 head of dwell cattle to Indonesia in 2010, 413,000 in 2011, 278,000 in 2012, and 452,000 in 2013.