The cattle that move through the Kimberley's well-worn dirt arteries represent millions of dollars and every animal counts.With those, come secrets.He knows the challenges of the industry intimately.
It was a trusted employer for some of the region’s most disadvantaged communities and, for local cattle stations, a godsend. At a time when the industry was still recovering from the short-lived 2011 live export ban, the opening of the abattoir was an important step towards economic resilience."The pastoral industry in northern Western Australia has got a long history. It's been an economic driver over a number of years," Mr Stoate says.
Scrub bulls are wild animals and are not used to being in the confined spaces of domestic cattle yards for a period of days, let alone months. While the animal welfare issues were kept under wraps by tight non-disclosure agreements, the money eventually began to talk.With $103 million owing from the Kimberley region's coffers, everyone from local tradespeople, stations and contract musterers were left out of pocket.Queensland-based lawyer Dan Creevey acted for one small family-run business that is yet to be paid millions.
"We … do not believe the provisions under safe harbour would be a defence available to its directors."A spokesperson for the WA Minister for Agriculture Jackie Jarvis, and for the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, declined to answer the ABC's questions, both saying it was a matter for administrators.For pastoralists like Mr Stoate, the abattoir has left its mark on the Kimberley industry.
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