Could technology be used instead of independent observers on live export ships?

The review began quietly on Tuesday, a week after coming under scrutiny at Senate Estimates for being delayed, and will cover the effectiveness of the program and its policies and processes, the potential use of alternative monitoring technology aboard ships, the approach to deploying observers and what improvements, if any, should be made to the current arrangements.

Public submissions regarding a potential overhaul of the program were opened on Tuesday, despite the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry's live exports acting first assistant secretary Andrew McDonald last week unable to confirm to senate when the review would commence.

Senator Mehren Faruqi had brought up the planned review, pointing to the dwindling use of the program, with just 12pc of eligible voyages having independent observers aboard in 2023, down from 50pc in 219.

"I've been raising this issue for a while here and you've been telling us for a year that you have been revising an independent observer policy," she said.

But Mr McDonald said the review was "something that we haven't ventilated through consultation processes or had necessary engagement on with the minister yet".

"The honest answer is that it's something that we wish to proceed with but we need to manage our competing priorities at any given time," he said.

"And there have been a lot of competing priorities in recent times."

Mr McDonald said the recently appointed interim inspector-general of animal welfare and live animal exports had decided that he wanted to look at the policy around independent observers "this calendar year".

"We do recognise that it is of great importance to many people and so we are keen to progress that but it does require lots of reflection and consideration," he said.

Australian Livestock Exporters' Council CEO Mark Harvey-Sutton said ALEC would definitely be providing a submission and had actually put forward an independent observer policy to DAFF two years ago that would have seen more observers deployed on vessels.

"We also are very open-minded about the fact that we should be exploring the utilisation of technology and exploring alternatives to having a physical person on the vessel," he said.

"Of course we know there is already extensive reporting from onboard stock hands and veterinarians daily, which offers assurance around conditions on the vessel.

"During COVID we had a two-year period where no independent observers were deployed and the industry still operated to a very high standard, with no impact on transparency about what was occurring on board."

The deployment of observers on voyages to the Middle East region was paused in October amid conflict in the region.

Since then DAFF has determined that the deployment of observers could recommence on voyages to the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf thought the ban remains for voyages going through the Red Sea or to any ports in Israel.

Public submissions regarding the independent observer program will close on April 3.

At the moment there is no timeline available on when a report might be released.