Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry (Export of Sheep by Sea to Middle East) Amendment (Northern Summer) Order 2019

Administered by Department of Agriculture

Legislation au F2019L00499 Not in force Legislative Instrument

Legislation content

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry Act 1997

Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry (Export of Sheep by Sea to Middle East) Amendment (Northern Summer) Order 2019

Legislative Authority

Paragraph 17(1)(a) of the Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry Act 1997 (the Act) provides that the Secretary may, by legislative instrument, make orders, not inconsistent with the regulations, to be complied with by holders of export licences. Paragraph 17(5)(a) of the Act provides that an export licence is subject to the condition that the holder of the licence must comply with orders made under section 17.

Purpose

The purpose of the Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry (Export of Sheep by Sea to Middle East) Amendment (Northern Summer) Order 2019 (Amendment Order) is to amend the Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry (Export of Sheep by Sea to Middle East) Order 2018 (Middle East Order) to provide that the Middle East Order does not permit the export of a consignment of live sheep if the export is prohibited by the Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry (Prohibition of Export of Sheep by Sea to Middle East – Northern Summer) Order 2019 (Northern Summer Order).

Background

The Act is part of the regulatory framework that enables the Australian Government to regulate the export of live-stock from Australia and impose requirements on export licence-holders to ensure specific animal welfare outcomes for live-stock exports.

 

The Northern Summer Order was made in response to the report provided by Dr Michael McCarthy following the Independent Review of Conditions for the Export of Sheep to the Middle East during the Northern Hemisphere Summer (McCarthy Review). The Northern Summer Order prohibits live sheep exports for the hot months beginning 1 June 2019 to 31 August 2019 (inclusive) of the northern summer.

Impact and Effect 

The effect of the Amendment Order is that it clarifies for holders of sheep export licenses that if an export of sheep is prohibited by the Northern Summer Order then the Middle East Order does not permit that export.

Consultation

Key stakeholders engaged with Dr McCarthy during his review.

In relation to the Northern Summer Order, the Secretary considered the draft report and recommendations by the HSRA review technical reference panel, submissions to the HSRA review public consultation process and reports by independent observers on board vessels during May and June 2018.

The Amendment Order is a consequential amendment required for clarity because of the Northern Summer Order, on which the department undertook consultation with stakeholders including industry and animal welfare groups. A range of views were received in submissions which were taken into consideration during drafting of that order.

Details/Operation

Details of the Amendment Order are set out in Attachment A.

The Amendment Order is compatible with the human rights and freedoms recognised or declared under section 3 of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011. A full statement of compatibility is set out in Attachment B.

The Amendment Order is a legislative instrument for the purposes of the Legislation Act 2003.


ATTACHMENT A

Details of the Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry (Export of Sheep by Sea to Middle East) Amendment (Northern Summer) Order 2019

Part 1 Preliminary

Section 1 Name

Section 1 provides that the name of the instrument is the Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry (Export of Sheep by Sea to Middle East) Amendment (Northern Summer) Order 2019 (Amendment Order).

Section 2  Commencement

Section 2 provides that the Amendment Order commences on the day after the instrument is registered on the Federal Register of Legislation.

Section 3 Authority

Section 3 provides that the authority for making the Amendment Order is section 17 of the Act.

Section 4 Schedules

Section 4 provides that each instrument that is specified in the Schedule to this Amendment Order is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned.

Schedule 1 Amendments

 

Item 1 adds subsection 6(3) at the end of section 8 in the Middle East Order. Subsection 6(3) provides that to avoid doubt, the Middle East Order does not permit the export of a consignment of sheep if the export is prohibited by the Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry (Prohibition of Export of Sheep by Sea to Middle East—Northern Summer) Order 2019.

 

The item further adds a note in subsection 6(3) that explains what subsection 5(1) of the Northern Summer Order provides, which is that the holder of a sheep export licence must not export a consignment of sheep from Australia by sea on a vessel that leaves an Australian port during the period starting at the start of 1 June 2019 and ending at the end of 31 August 2019 (paragraph 5(1)(a) and that will travel, or travels, through waters in the Arabian Sea north of latitude 11°N at any time during its voyage (paragraph 5(1)(b)).

 


ATTACHMENT B

 

Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights

Prepared in accordance with Part 3 of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011

Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry (Export of Sheep by Sea to Middle East) Amendment (Northern Summer) Order 2019.

 This Legislative Instrument is compatible with the human rights and freedoms recognised or declared in the international instruments listed in section 3 of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011.

Overview of the Legislative Instrument

The Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry (Export of Sheep by Sea to Middle East) Amendment (Northern Summer) Order 2019 (the Legislative Instrument) amends the Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry (Export of Sheep by Sea to Middle East) Order 2018 (Middle East Order) to provide that the Middle East Order does not permit the export of a consignment of sheep if the export is prohibited by the Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry (Prohibition of Export of Sheep by Sea to Middle East – Northern Summer) Order 2019 (Northern Summer Order).

Human rights implications

This Legislative Instrument does not engage any of the applicable rights or freedoms.

Conclusion

This Legislative Instrument is compatible with human rights as it does not raise any human rights issues.

 

 

Daryl Quinlivan

Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources 

 

 

Overview

The Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry (Export of Sheep by Sea to Middle East) Amendment (Northern Summer) Order 2019 was enacted to amend the Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry (Export of Sheep by Sea to Middle East) Order 2018, ensuring that the latter does not permit the export of sheep if the export is prohibited by the Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry (Prohibition of Export of Sheep by Sea to Middle East – Northern Summer) Order 2019. This legislative instrument was introduced by the Australian Government to address concerns about animal welfare during the northern summer months when exporting sheep by sea to the Middle East. Enacted under the authority of the Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry Act 1997, the policy objective of this amendment is to ensure that sheep are not exported under conditions that could compromise their welfare during the hottest period of the year. The Amendment Order was developed in response to the findings and recommendations of Dr Michael McCarthy’s Independent Review of Conditions for the Export of Sheep to the Middle East during the Northern Hemisphere Summer. This review led to the creation of the Northern Summer Order, which prohibits live sheep exports from 1 June to 31 August each year. The Amendment Order was necessary to clarify the relationship between the Middle East Order and the Northern Summer Order, ensuring that the prohibition on sheep exports during the northern summer is clearly understood and enforced. The Australian Government consulted with relevant stakeholders, including industry representatives and animal welfare groups, during the drafting of this Order.

Scope and Application

The Australian Meat and Livestock Industry Act 1997 applies to persons and entities involved in the export of livestock, specifically sheep, from Australia. This Act authorises the Secretary to issue orders to be complied with by holders of export licenses, which are subject to specific conditions to ensure animal welfare outcomes for livestock exports. The Australian Meat and Livestock Industry (Export of Sheep by Sea to Middle East) Amendment (Northern Summer) Order 2019 amends the Australian Meat and Livestock Industry (Export of Sheep by Sea to Middle East) Order 2018 to clarify that the Middle East Order does not permit the export of a consignment of live sheep if the export is prohibited by the Australian Meat and Livestock Industry (Prohibition of Export of Sheep by Sea to Middle East – Northern Summer) Order 2019. This Amendment Order has a national reach and applies across all states and territories of Australia. The order is intended to ensure that livestock export practices meet the necessary animal welfare standards, particularly during the northern summer months when the risk of animal welfare issues is heightened. There are no stated exclusions or exemptions in the text provided, and the application of the Act and its amendments is extended through the subordinate instruments as necessary to regulate and control livestock exports.

Key Provisions

The Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry (Export of Sheep by Sea to Middle East) Amendment (Northern Summer) Order 2019 (Amendment Order) amends the Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry (Export of Sheep by Sea to Middle East) Order 2018 (Middle East Order). It introduces a new subsection 6(3) into section 8 of the Middle East Order, clarifying that a consignment of sheep cannot be exported if the export is prohibited by the Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry (Prohibition of Export of Sheep by Sea to Middle East—Northern Summer) Order 2019 (Northern Summer Order) (Section 4, Schedule 1, Item 1). This amendment ensures that the Middle East Order aligns with the prohibitions set out in the Northern Summer Order, which restricts sheep exports during the northern summer months from 1 June to 31 August each year (Section 4, Schedule 1, Item 1, Note). Holders of export licenses are subject to the conditions set out in the Middle East Order and must ensure compliance with all applicable orders and regulations. Specifically, they must adhere to the prohibitions outlined in the Northern Summer Order, which prohibits the export of sheep via sea routes that travel through the Arabian Sea north of latitude 11°N between 1 June and 31 August (Section 4, Schedule 1, Item 1, Note). This means that any export of sheep during this period must strictly avoid the specified sea routes to comply with the regulations. Breaching the provisions of the Northern Summer Order, and consequently the amended Middle East Order, can lead to significant legal consequences. Holders of export licenses who fail to comply with the export prohibitions may face penalties as stipulated under the Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry Act 1997. These penalties can include substantial fines and potential legal action. The exact penalties are not detailed in the Amendment Order but are governed by the broader legislative framework of the Act. The Amendment Order is designed to ensure clarity and enforceability of the prohibition on sheep exports during the northern summer months, thereby protecting animal welfare and adhering to the findings of the McCarthy Review. This legislative instrument is also compliant with human rights, as it does not engage any of the applicable rights or freedoms under the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011.

Legal classification tags

Area of Law
Animal Law
Instrument
Order
Concepts
Definitions & Interpretation
Regulatory Standards
Prohibited Conduct
Catchwords
Export of Sheep

Interactions

Authorises

All Versions

Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.