You're sorry for what?

I've got to be honest with you, most of the time I find politics kind of a snore. Words like chambers and constituencies make my brain go into Homer Simpson mode. (Although, if you say 'caucus' ten times over it’s bound to make you giggle).

However, my ears pricked up at some political news I heard today. The Coalition leaders want to apologise to Indonesia, on behalf of the Australian people, for the temporary suspension of live exports in 2011. Excuse me? I'm an Australian person. Don’t be apologising on behalf of me, thank you very much.

There were very good reasons for stopping the export of cattle to Indonesia. First up, animals were being abused and brutally killed.

Secondly, the Australian people called for a ban. After Four Corners exposed the shocking cruelty to cattle in Indonesia, people rallied across the country and politicians' inboxes were flooded with emails from people calling for an end to live export.

The Coalition leaders appear to have forgotten this. (Which is why I think the world should be run by elephants. Elephants never forget.) Tony Abbott, Julie Bishop and Warren Truss -- three big-wigs in the Federal Coalition -- have all expressed the 'need' to apologise to Indonesia.

Hold up, 4 out of 5 Australians support the campaign to end live export altogether. So how the Coalition government imagines that this apology is representative of the Australian people is beyond me. They would effectively be apologising for trying to end some of the worst animal cruelty ever documented in the live trade. And we should NOT be apologising for trying to prevent animal abuse.

In my opinion there is someone else they should be apologising to: the millions of Australian animals who have, and continue to, suffer in the live export trade. Despite 'safeguards' introduced by the Australian government, since 2011, cruelty to exported animals has continued to be exposed -- in Indonesia (again), Kuwait, Qatar, Pakistan, Israel, Mauritius, Egypt and Malaysia.

I think our pollies need a reminder that Australians care about the treatment of our animals and we should not be apologising for trying to protect them from cruelty. Click here to send a message to the leaders of the Coalition that they won't be representing you if they apologise to Indonesia.

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