increase font size
Labour's Joel Fitzgibbon
NORTHERN TERRITORY cattle producers have launched a class action over the former Federal Government’s ban on live exports to Indonesia in 2011.
It’s been lodged in the Federal Court by lawyers Minter Ellison, and seeks compensation for losses incurred.
Opposition agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon admits Labor could have consulted more widely with the cattle industry prior to imposing a ban on live exports in 2011. He told ABC Rural that in the lead-up to the ban, he “found it difficult to believe” there wasn’t a way of working in partnership with the sector in the first instance.
“At the time there could’ve been more consultation with the sector... the National Farmers Federation and various cattlemen’s groups.”
The class action could run into hundreds of millions of dollars and is open to an unlimited number of claimants in the industry.
In 2011 the trade was brought to a sudden halt after film of cruelty to cattle in Indonesia caused public outrage.
For three years the industry has sought compensation outside court without success. An independent evaluation of the case by former judge Roger Gyles QC, commissioned by Minter Ellison, found the decision by the then agriculture minister Joe Ludwig was invalid.
Gyles said it has a meaningful prospect of liability being established because the order was an irrational and unreasonable response to the circumstances and went beyond anything recommended by the department.
Gyles also described the move as ‘reckless’, but Fitzgibbon rejects that suggestion.
He points to the former Labor Government’s introduction of the livestock exporters supply chain assurance scheme (ESCAS) as a benefit that followed the ban. And he argues that the Howard Government had failed to take appropriate action following the ban on the live sheep trade in 2006.
Chinese beef trade quotas and a looming suspension of Brazilian beef imports into the European Union are expected to reshape global beef trade flows over the remainder of 2026, with implications for New Zealand exporters, according to Rabobank's Q3 Global Beef Quarterly report.
A new Indonesian school milk programme is expected to significantly increase the country's total dairy consumption, creating opportunities for New Zealand and other global dairy players.
Sheep and cattle numbers continue to decline, and this year's drought hasn't helped, according to Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ).
Production of the first ever locally-produced organic cheese was celebrated in Indonesia recently.
The number of beef cattle increased for the fourth year in a row in 2020, while the national dairy herd and sheep flock have both continued to fall in recent years, Stats NZ said.
LIC shareholders have elected a new North Island representative to the co-operative's Board, along with five representatives to its Shareholder Reference Group (SRG), following the company's Annual Meeting held in Invercargill.
Farmers across parts of Southland and South Otago are continuing to deal with difficult conditions after a prolonged run of wet weather, with pressure building around feed supply, stock management, pasture damage, farm infrastructure and everyday workloads.
Federated Farmers says it welcomes Labour's commitment to reviewing the Sharemilking Agreements Act, calling on other major parties to do the same.
For Canterbury dairy farmers Sian Meijer and Rick Wobben, wearable technology has become one of their most valuable on-farm tools - helping manage 1850 cows across an expansive, high-performing dairy operation while improving efficiency, mating outcomes and day-to-day decision making.
Fonterra has unveiled its annual results for the 2026 financial year, posting $27 billion in revenue and close to $20 billion returned to New Zealand farmer owners and unit holders.
The first major update to the Dairy Cattle Code of Welfare in more than a decade has been released, marking what DairyNZ describes as an important step in ensuring animal welfare standards continue to evolve alongside scientific evidence and on-farm realities.
OPINION: The same mainstream media muppets that brought you Jacindamania in 2017 have been flat out pimping for the Opportunities…
OPINION: Your old mate reckons the atrocious way farmers in the UK are treated by their lords and masters in…
