"But it's not just the cattle producers, it's all the attendant industries like transport and shipping and feed producers and the like. There will be enormous ramifications across the beef industry generally as a result of the Government's decision to ban all exports to all of the abattoirs in Indonesia"

Julie Bishop highlights the extensive impact of the government's decision to ban live cattle exports to all abattoirs in Indonesia. She emphasizes that the effects are not limited solely to cattle producers, who are most immediately and directly confronted by the cessation of trade. Rather, she acknowledges a web of ancillary industries that are intimately entwined with, and dependent upon, the beef export sector. This includes, notably, companies involved in transportation, freighters who move livestock from farm to shipping points, truck drivers, logistics coordinators, and the infrastructure that supports these activities. Shipping enterprises, responsible for the international transfer of livestock, are similarly affected, facing abrupt loss of revenue streams and potentially idling vessels and personnel.

Feed producers, another critical link in this supply chain, encounter decreased demand as a direct consequence of halted exports. Their products, previously purchased to sustain cattle destined for Indonesian markets, may now face surplus and reduced prices, impacting the viability of their operations. Additionally, the reference to "the like" encompasses a multitude of other dependent sectors: veterinarians ensuring livestock health, rural suppliers, exporters, livestock agents, and others all rely on a thriving export market. By touching on these points, Bishop underscores the interconnectedness of agricultural communities and the fragility of regional economies, where the shutdown of a single major export channel can reverberate widely and deeply.

Bishop warns of “enormous ramifications” across the entirety of the beef industry. Job losses, falling incomes, and the risk of business closures are implicit in her remarks. The government’s decision, while presumably in response to ethical or humanitarian concerns regarding slaughter practices in Indonesian abattoirs, is portrayed as blunt and far-reaching, neglecting the livelihoods that depend on the trade. Her comments thus frame the ban as a policy decision with broad and severe economic consequences, suggesting the need for careful consideration of both ethical responsibilities and the wellbeing of the communities reliant on such exports.