Australian beef and veal export values in 2012 increased 2% year-on-year, reaching 4.77 billion dollars. While beef and veal export volumes during 2012 notched a record, values were short of the equivalent feat, influenced by a greater proportion of exports made up of frozen product and the high Australian dollar.
Recent positive tests, and ongoing concerns that Ovine Brucellosis is spreading throughout Australia, has prompted the country’s Livestock Health and Pest Authorities (LHPA) to encourage all sheep producers to test their rams for ovine brucellosis.
Australian Environment minister Tony Burke signed into force on Monday a two-year ban on any super trawler operating in the small pelagic fishery. The ban is based on a battery of new laws and seems directed to the arrival to Australia of the Dutch vessel Abel Tasman.
The UN General Assembly elected Argentina, Rwanda and Australia to the 15-national Security Council for 2013 and 2014. Rwanda and Argentina were unopposed in their bids for the Africa seat and the Latin American and Caribbean seat.
Australia shipped 22,648 tonnes swt of beef to Japan during September, the lowest monthly volumes since December 2003 (with the exception of January).
Australia has become the world's 12th biggest economy as it continues to out-grow recession-ravaged parts of Europe. New figures from the IMF confirmed Australia had replaced Spain as the 12th biggest economy as measured by GDP at market exchange rates.
Ecuador's President Rafael Correa said that Britain's failure to extradite former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet more than a decade ago means it has no right to lecture others over the fate of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday it strongly welcomes the landmark decision from Australia’s High Court to dismiss a legal challenge from the tobacco industry, and calls on the rest of the world to follow Australia’s tough stance on tobacco marketing.
Australia says it will create the world's largest network of marine parks ahead of the Rio+20 summit. The reserves will cover 3.1 million sq km of ocean, including the Coral Sea.
Twenty-two cattle have been killed by tick fever in the New South Wales, Australia. Tick fever is caused by a parasite in red blood cells and the only thing that can spread tick fever is cattle ticks, reports Meat trade news daily.