Senate calls for live export ban on ponies

The Senate has called on the federal government to ban live exports of horses, ponies and donkeys for slaughter.

The Greens motion, which passed the upper house 38-26 on Thursday, follows revelations during a Senate committee hearing in May, that while livestock like beef cattle are subject to strict supply chain assurances, no such government conditions exist for equines.

The hearing was told agriculture department staff are trying to close the loophole which allows the animals to be exported for slaughter without any control over what happens to them.