For now, the door is shut

He says Australia has moved to phase-out the live export of sheep, and animal welfare standards are bedded into our FTAs with the UK and the EU.

"Recent talk of restarting live exports by sea simply ignores the reality that our consumers overseas take issues of sustainability, climate and animal welfare seriously, which is why they're reflected in our recent FTAs," he says.

O'Connor says in a market where consumers are becoming more and more discerning about ethical and environmental credentials, his government has moved to ensure that NZ's reputation for ethical trade is not at risk.