The Monster Minister
Opinion
Don’t be fooled by his childish smile and cheerful name. Barnaby Joyce, Australia’s Minister of Agriculture, is one of the most dangerous men on the planet.
Barnaby Joyce, Australia’s Minister of Agriculture (photo: weeklytimesnow.com.au)
In recent years, Australian animal advocacy groups have released footage from dozens of undercover investigations showing thousands of animals being terrorized by industries regulated by Mr. Joyce. Instead of punishing the culprits, Mr. Joyce uses the news as a PR opportunity to portray Australia as a world leader in the humane treatment of animals. Instead of condemning the crimes, he denounces the advocates who document them. And instead of working to eliminate the abuses, he advocates for “ag gag” laws to prevent them from being exposed.
LIVE EXPORTS
Each year, Australia loads millions of live sheep and cattle onto ships and transports them to countries in the Middle East and Asia that have few, if any, laws governing the humane treatment of animals. Undercover investigations consistently expose atrocities during every leg of the journey. Thousands of animals have died from heat exhaustion and disease on the ships and have been butchered while still alive in their destination countries.
Australian animals meet their fate in the Middle East (photos: Animals Australia)
In spite of abundant evidence demonstrating that live animals cannot be exported humanely, Joyce defends the trade and works to expand it. And he routinely uses Australia’s unenforceable and ineffective animal welfare regulations – the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance Program (ESCAS) – to not only justify his promotion of the live export trade but also portray it as a model for the humane treatment of animals. In January, Joyce stated that a review of ESCAS “demonstrates that Australian livestock exported overseas are treated humanely in almost every instance” and that “only 12,958 animals (0.16%) had experienced a potentially adverse animal welfare outcome since 2011.”
Live sheep from Australia are stuffed into a trunk in Kuwait (photo: Animals Australia)
Adolph Hitler said, “make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it and eventually they will believe it.” This appears to be Joyce’s strategy to convince the world that the millions of animals who are abused and tortured in the live export trade are treated “humanely in almost every instance.”
Barnaby Joyce (photo: 2gb.com)
LIVE ANIMAL BAIT
In mid-February, Animals Australia released footage of greyhounds ripping apart live animals who were being used as bait to train the dogs to run faster. The revelation that dog racers were using rabbits, possums and piglets as “live bait” and the footage itself were so disturbing that the dog racing industry was compelled to publicly condemn the practice and cancel its annual awards ceremony.
Greyhound in training chases live possum being used as bait (photo: AFP)
Instead of denouncing the illegal, pervasive and horrific use of live bait when the news broke, Barnaby Joyce, true to form, criticized the activists for using hidden cameras and reiterated the need for legislation that would outlaw their use. Time and again, Joyce has made his objective clear: fine and imprison those who dare to document crimes against animals while protecting those who commit them.
DISGRACE BARBARIC DISGUSTING PRIMITIVE AUSTRALIA!!!! STOP TORTURES AND KILLS INNOCENTS ANIMALS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Where’s Australia’s SPCA while this is happening?
Don’t people report the Agri Minister?
Also in this picture hidden behind the baby animal is Joyce’s opposite number, Labor’s Joel Fitzgibbon, grinning just as vavuously Labor also supports this wretched trade in animal misery and suffering, but they want your support and your vote. So go after Labor MPs and any endorsed candidates you can find and tell them that this IS a game changer. .
Joyce sadly lacks intellect, emotional intelligence, compassion, love & empathy. He is a disconnected, arrogant & a destroyer of life. He has not listened to what the people of Australia want. 86% of the country want an end to the cruel live export industry. Therefore boot the bastard out!
Many scholars e.g. Leo Tolstoy, Leonardo da Vinci & Pythagoras had concerns about violence towards others.
“For as long as man continues to be the ruthless destroyer of other livings beings, he will never know health or peace. For as long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. He who sows the seed of murder and pain cannot reap joy and love.” Pythagoras”
Sadly, it is all too easy to ignore the suffering of living creatures. I would urge all of you who live in citys and who shop in supermarkets and purchase their meat plastic wraps or boxes, to go into the country and spend a day with cows and calves, sheep and lambs, pigs and piglets. Watch as they enjoy the sun and each others company, how they interact with each other and their young. You will observe every emotion you have yourself felt. We make much of the Holocost, slavery, murder and brutality, yet we are prepared to inflict such acts on the creatures we share our earth withon a daily basis. Any wonder we butcher each other…
Sadly, it is all too easy to ignore the suffering of living creatures. I would urge all of you who live in citys and who shop in supermarkets and purchase their meat plastic wraps or boxes, to go into the country and spend a day with cows and calves, sheep and lambs, pigs and piglets. Watch as they enjoy the sun and each others company, how they interact with each other and their young. You will observe every emotion you have yourself felt. We make much of the Holocost, slavery, murder and brutality, yet we are prepared to inflict such acts on the creatures we share our earth withon a daily basis. Any wonder we butcher each other…
I would be nice if there was a petition somewhere online I can sign AGAINST this idiot. Australia’s worse than any other country in terms of their live export of animals as far as I know. Canada and the United States also export live animals. I wish ALL countries would stop supplying the Middle East with live animals – they should farm their own and if they can’t, too damn bad. In a perfect world, we’d all be vegan.
I’ve been signing petitions for years. The atrocities continue. I want to make a difference too! Just hearing the news simply reinforces what I know is happening.Frustrating:((
I think we always can be sure that anyone with the position of Minister of Agriculture in any country will not place any priority on treatment of animals. It’s a position that about production and commerce. What we need is to have a Minister of Animal Rights. That won’t be happening soon.
He looks crazy! It’s just like politics…they just keep repeating the message people want to hear. Thanks for making us aware.