Live Animal Export, Humane Live Animal Export, Humane Slaughter and Media Slaughter and Media

HegemonyHegemony

Nick PendergrastNick Pendergrast

FramingFraming

The way that the news is packaged.The way that the news is packaged. What is covered and what is left out.What is covered and what is left out. Frames shape how audiences understand Frames shape how audiences understand

and interpret issues and events, as well as and interpret issues and events, as well as their their evaluations of political actionevaluations of political action..

The MediaThe Media

Public SpherePublic Sphere• Habermas.Habermas.• Integral part of the Integral part of the

‘political ‘political consciousness and consciousness and a vibrant site of a vibrant site of resistance’ to resistance’ to “common sense” “common sense” political discourse.political discourse.

• Public can hear all Public can hear all views on an issue.views on an issue.

• Wide range of Wide range of frames.frames.

Media HegemonyMedia Hegemony• The manufacturing of The manufacturing of

consent through consent through excluding alternative excluding alternative visions and visions and discourses.discourses.

• Debates and Debates and disagreements, but disagreements, but within a limited within a limited framework.framework.

• Narrow range of Narrow range of frames.frames.

Theories on Animal SlaughterTheories on Animal Slaughter

Animal WelfareAnimal Welfare• Concerned with Concerned with howhow

animals are treated animals are treated and and howhow they are they are killed.killed.

• Accepts humane Accepts humane slaughter.slaughter.

• Light green.Light green.• ““Default” position or Default” position or

“status quo “status quo position.”position.”

• Dominates Dominates mainstream media.mainstream media.

Animal RightsAnimal Rights Cannot justify using and Cannot justify using and

killing animals, killing animals, regardlessregardless of the of the treatment.treatment.

Not larger cages, but Not larger cages, but empty cages.empty cages.

Rejects humane Rejects humane slaughter.slaughter.

Deep green.Deep green. Neglected by Neglected by

mainstream media.mainstream media.

Four CornersFour Corners Objectivity = tendency for media outlets ‘to Objectivity = tendency for media outlets ‘to

reduce controversy to two competing reduce controversy to two competing positions’ (Gamson). positions’ (Gamson).

Luke Bowen (NT Cattleman’s Association): ‘We Luke Bowen (NT Cattleman’s Association): ‘We in Australia expect that in Australia expect that animals should be animals should be slaughteredslaughtered quickly and speed and efficiency quickly and speed and efficiency is what it's about’.is what it's about’.

Lyn White (Animals Australia): ‘Lyn White (Animals Australia): ‘We should be We should be killing the animalskilling the animals here under Australian here under Australian conditions, under our control, and then they conditions, under our control, and then they should only be shipped as meat products, not should only be shipped as meat products, not live animals’.live animals’.

Media Coverage 1-7 JuneMedia Coverage 1-7 June

  Number of Articles for Each Frame  

         

Newspapers Animal Welfare Animal Rights Neither Total

The Australian 8 0 1 9

Sydney Morning Herald 6 0 0 6

The West Australian 3 0 0 3

Total 17 0 1 18

Social media

Until the narrative changed

A Few “Bad Apples”A Few “Bad Apples” Cattleman John Wharton: ‘a few dodgy abattoirs’.Cattleman John Wharton: ‘a few dodgy abattoirs’. Kooline Station manager Peter Stammers: the ‘brutal treatment Kooline Station manager Peter Stammers: the ‘brutal treatment

shown in graphic footage was not common’ and he blamed it on shown in graphic footage was not common’ and he blamed it on ‘the poor behaviour of a few overseas slaughterhouses’.‘the poor behaviour of a few overseas slaughterhouses’.

Jubilee Downs station manager Keith Anderson: ‘the footage was Jubilee Downs station manager Keith Anderson: ‘the footage was disturbing and the brutal treatment shown was not something he disturbing and the brutal treatment shown was not something he wanted his cattle to go through’.wanted his cattle to go through’.

WA Farmers Federation president Mike Norton said he ‘supported WA Farmers Federation president Mike Norton said he ‘supported a ban on facilities which undertook cruel treatment’.a ban on facilities which undertook cruel treatment’.

The Nationals leader, Warren Truss: ‘cattle growers were just as The Nationals leader, Warren Truss: ‘cattle growers were just as horrified as the general public’. horrified as the general public’.

Heytesbury Cattle Company chief executive Paul Holmes a Court Heytesbury Cattle Company chief executive Paul Holmes a Court ‘praised the Federal Government for cutting out abattoirs found to ‘praised the Federal Government for cutting out abattoirs found to be killing Australian cattle inhumanely, which he believed were a be killing Australian cattle inhumanely, which he believed were a minority’. minority’.

Animal Welfare Laws = Humane Animal Welfare Laws = Humane Slaughter in AustraliaSlaughter in Australia

Two articles referred to Australia’s high standards in animal Two articles referred to Australia’s high standards in animal welfare.welfare.

Cattleman John Wharton: ‘It is not the way we do things in Cattleman John Wharton: ‘It is not the way we do things in this country’.this country’.

Independent politicians Nick Xenophon and Andrew Wilkie: Independent politicians Nick Xenophon and Andrew Wilkie: ‘If abattoir workers in Australia treated beasts in such a ‘If abattoir workers in Australia treated beasts in such a fashion, they would be in jail’.fashion, they would be in jail’.

RSPCA’s chief scientist, Dr Bidda Jones pointed to RSPCA’s chief scientist, Dr Bidda Jones pointed to ‘substandard practices which would be illegal under ‘substandard practices which would be illegal under Australian laws’.Australian laws’.

Dr Barry Smyth, President of the Australian Veterinary Dr Barry Smyth, President of the Australian Veterinary Association: ‘The live export of all cattle to Indonesia should Association: ‘The live export of all cattle to Indonesia should be suspended until the same animal welfare standards as be suspended until the same animal welfare standards as Australia’s can be assured’. Australia’s can be assured’.

Nationalism, Racism and Nationalism, Racism and XenophobiaXenophobia

AustralianAustralian animals/cattle 31 times animals/cattle 31 times in in Four CornersFour Corners episode. episode.

‘‘I’m a meat eater and I oppose live I’m a meat eater and I oppose live export’.export’.

Let’s keep jobs in

Australia

Challenging the Narrative?Challenging the Narrative?

‘‘Economics Overrides Ethics when it comes to Economics Overrides Ethics when it comes to Animal Husbandry’ by Brian Sherman and Animal Husbandry’ by Brian Sherman and AnneMarie Jonson (Voiceless).AnneMarie Jonson (Voiceless).• ‘‘Australian standards for domestic halal slaughter require Australian standards for domestic halal slaughter require

stunning. However, it has been reported that several large stunning. However, it has been reported that several large slaughterhouses have allowed slaughter without slaughterhouses have allowed slaughter without stunning…’.stunning…’.

• My interview with a slaughterhouse worker.My interview with a slaughterhouse worker.• Spoke of the likelihood of ‘introducing humane slaughter Spoke of the likelihood of ‘introducing humane slaughter

methods based on stunning into Indonesian abattoirs’. methods based on stunning into Indonesian abattoirs’. • ‘‘Hundreds of millions of animals on our own doorstep live Hundreds of millions of animals on our own doorstep live

lives of misery and deprivation…lives of misery and deprivation…on factory farmson factory farms’. ’. • Intensive Intensive confinement of battery hens, hens raised for confinement of battery hens, hens raised for

their flesh and pigs raised in sow crates. their flesh and pigs raised in sow crates.

Many Voices, Limited FramingMany Voices, Limited Framing

Journalists, politicians, animal Journalists, politicians, animal advocates, animal farming industry advocates, animal farming industry representatives and veterinarians.representatives and veterinarians.

Animal advocates: RSPCA… Animal advocates: RSPCA…

Animal Welfare

Animal Rights

‘‘OBVIOUSLY WE OBVIOUSLY WE ALL KNOW THAT ALL KNOW THAT THE RSPCA IS THE RSPCA IS FUCKED’ (Ison FUCKED’ (Ison 2013).2013).

Animals AustraliaAnimals Australia

Alternative Views in the Alternative Views in the MovementMovement

Animal Rights Advocates.Animal Rights Advocates. Animal Liberation Victoria:Animal Liberation Victoria:

• ‘‘Believing that humane killing exists in any abattoir is Believing that humane killing exists in any abattoir is effectively turning our backs on an unjust reality in order to effectively turning our backs on an unjust reality in order to preserve a way of life we have been conditioned to see as preserve a way of life we have been conditioned to see as acceptable’.acceptable’.

• Encouraged ‘all Australians to question the practice of killing Encouraged ‘all Australians to question the practice of killing animals for industry and personal greed. Not just how, but animals for industry and personal greed. Not just how, but why?’ why?’

The Vegan Society of New South Wales:The Vegan Society of New South Wales:• Exporting chilled meat from Australia to Indonesia ‘does not go Exporting chilled meat from Australia to Indonesia ‘does not go

nearly far enough’ and that for anyone concerned with the nearly far enough’ and that for anyone concerned with the plight of other animals, the solution is to ‘just stop eating or plight of other animals, the solution is to ‘just stop eating or using them and call for others to do the same’. using them and call for others to do the same’.

Final ThoughtsFinal Thoughts

Internet = the creation of new, alternative spaces Internet = the creation of new, alternative spaces for a variety of communities and interests that for a variety of communities and interests that are not well catered for or represented in are not well catered for or represented in traditional media forms (Goggin).traditional media forms (Goggin).

Media hegemony still important.Media hegemony still important. Not limited to this example.Not limited to this example. Beneficial to dominant interests.Beneficial to dominant interests.

www.ProgressivePodcastAustralia.com• Episode 32.Episode 32.