Tuesday afternoon, two red-coated Senate attendants carried two large boxes on to the floor of the chamber. Those boxes contained 6000 pages of names and addresses - 129,140 signatures calling on the federal government to ban the live export of sheep. The petition has attracted nearly 10,000 additional names online since it was printed this week. Also yesterday afternoon, opponents of live exports had a big win over the government. My formal motion to ban live sheep exports passed through the Senate 33-30. A long time coming. It’s been 37 years since I brought a similar petition to the old Parliament House down the road, to present to the-then Minister for Primary Industry, Peter Nixon. In pre-social media days, 30,000 listeners to Melbourne’s 3AW signed that petition calling for an end to live exports from Australia. It fell on deaf ears. The recent 60 Minutes expose, following on from 4 Corners some years ago, shows that this cruelty still goes on, despite what the industry spokesmen are trying to tell you. I am so proud that so many of you from all over Australia took the effort to register your protest calling for an end to this cruel practice. This time, I believe it will happen. DH