June 21, 2011

Australia unable to reach consensus with Indonesia

After Australian Agriculture Minister, Joe Ludwig, finished a meeting with his Indonesian counterpart in Jakarta, both parties could not come to a consensus on new animal welfare standards.

Ludwig met Indonesia's trade and agriculture ministers, but there is still no resolution to the crisis in sight.

The minister wants Indonesia to meet international standards before Australia resumes cattle exports to Indonesia, but he said the two sides are still working on how to put those standards into practice.

He has confirmed Australia will encourage, but not insist on, stunning the animals before they are killed.

At a doorstop interview in Jakarta, Senator Ludwig did not say when he thought the trade would resume.