Legislate the Date to End Live Sheep Export 2024

# Legislate the Date to End Live Sheep Export Bill 2024 ## What it does This bill would ban the export of live sheep by ship from Australia, starting 1 May 2026. Once the law passes and gets royal assent, the ban comes into effect the day after—but the actual prohibition on shipping sheep overseas doesn't kick in until that 2026 date, giving the industry about 18 months to wind down. ## Why it matters Australia exports hundreds of thousands of live sheep each year, mainly to the Middle East. Animal welfare groups argue the long sea journeys cause unnecessary suffering; the livestock industry and some regional communities depend on these exports economically. This bill settles that debate in law, but only if parliament passes it. ## Key details - **The date**: 1 May 2026 is when live sheep exports by sea become completely illegal - **The scope**: The ban only covers exports *by sea*—land exports (like to nearby countries) aren't addressed here - **Penalties**: The bill references existing "offences and civil penalty provisions" in export control law for anyone who tries to breach the ban, but doesn't spell out specific fines or jail time in this text