THE Four Corners program that exposed the cruelty to Australian cattle in Indonesian abattoirs was motivated by a desire to end the live export trade, a Senate inquiry has found.
The Coalition-dominated inquiry into live exports, prompted by the Four Corners program in May, which led to a month-long ban, was tabled yesterday with committee chairman Bill Heffernan labelling the ABC program “the perfect ambush” on the industry.
“The ambush worked, and I think it was more driven by the opportunity for a Walkley award or ratings, and of course Animals Australia wanting to shut the industry down,” Senator Heffernan said.
“Many on the committee are satisfied that the primary motivation for the Four Corners program was a desire to end the live export trade.”
Four Corners executive producer Sue Spencer said there was “absolutely no factual evidence” to support the committee's statement that Four Corners was motivated to shut down the industry.
“The aim of the program was to investigate serious allegations of animal cruelty in Indonesian abattoirs,” Ms Spencer said.
“The result was a powerful piece of journalism on a serious and confronting public issue and we stand by the program in every regard.”
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