Speakers: Speaker 30, Tina Hutcherson, Speaker 1, Ms. Tina Hutcherson

Transcript

Speaker 1

still in outcome one. Oh, sorry. Yes. I'd said to Senator Farooqi before the break that I would go to Senator Farooqi for I think you're about 15 minutes and then come back to you Senator McDonald. >> Cool. Senator Farooqi. Thank you so

Speaker 30

much. Good afternoon. Uh I might start off with some questions on the inspector general of live animal exports. Thank you. So in the October estimates last year, I asked you when the vacant position of the inspector general of animal welfare and live animal exports um could would be filled. And I think it was Mr. Saunders who responded that you were well underway in recruitment. Uh it is now February and as I understand it, the role still hasn't been filled. So when will the position be filled and will it be filled before 2028 when the live export ship bans comes into place?

Ms. Tina Hutcherson

>> Uh Senator, the um consideration is with government at the moment. We expect that there will be uh an outcome of that shortly and expect um feeling will be possible shortly after that. So yes, I expect that process will be completed um in the coming weeks.

Speaker 30

>> In the coming weeks. Okay. And who has been fulfilling the tasks of the inspector general in the interim? >> Uh they haven't been filled Senator. >> They haven't been filled at all. So you just abandoned the independent oversight of life animal exports for the last

Ms. Tina Hutcherson

seven months. I wouldn't suggest that language senator but there has been a process underway. Um that process is nearing its completion and expect that to be uh completed shortly.

Speaker 30

>> Why did it take se why is it taken 7

Ms. Tina Hutcherson

months? >> Uh the recruitment was undertaken. These uh processes have certain steps they need to go through. Those steps are being completed and we expect that to as I said um be finalized in the coming