A government MP has said it “beggars belief” that more endangered Australian birds have been exported to a German organisation headed by a convicted kidnapper and extortionist, after a Guardian investigation revealed there had been multiple warnings that the birds could be sold to collectors at a huge profit. Labor’s environment spokesman, Tony Burke, called on the environment minister, Melissa Price, to explain the “bizarre” case and the Greens urged an immediate suspension of any further shipments. “It means we are allowed to offer them … and we are allowed to sell Australian birds,” a translation of the interview said. “The environment department has some serious questions to answer,” she said. “The federal government should never have given permits to allow the trade of rare and endangered birds with a person convicted of fraud and kidnapping.

Source: The Guardian February 05, 2019 23:48 UTC