New Zealand's centre-right government has backtracked on campaign promises to overturn the live animal export ban this term, RNZ reports.Animal Welfare Minister Andrew Hoggard — a former Federated Farmers president — led efforts to reinstate the trade but could not secure Cabinet agreement. The reversal is significant given coalition agreements with ACT and NZ First explicitly included commitments to reverse the 2022 ban.Hoggard had previously called reinstating live exports "one of his top priorities" and initially targeted 2025 for legislative changes. Parliamentary records show no ministerial advice on amendments since mid-2025, despite earlier claims the proposal had reached Cabinet.Shows the limits of what even a farmer-friendly government will touch. Animal welfare has shifted the political ground in New Zealand — even conservative politicians won't stake their credibility on this anymore.Green Party spokesperson Steve Abel praised the decision, noting "overwhelming outrage from veterinary experts" who opposed the practice on welfare grounds. The experts cited concerns about cattle confined on ships for weeks during long-distance voyages.The farming industry had remained hopeful despite warning signs. Livestock Exports NZ CEO Glen Neal previously called the uncertainty unhelpful. A 2024 RNZ investigation revealed the industry planned to spend $1 million on lobbying to dismantle the ban.Public opposition proved decisive. A 57,000-signature petition opposing reinstatement was presented to Parliament in 2024. The issue gained traction after the 2020 Gulf Livestock 1 sinking, which killed 41 crew members and nearly 6,000 cattle.The backtrack demonstrates how animal welfare concerns can outweigh agricultural industry pressure in modern New Zealand politics — a notable shift for a country built on farming exports. The government's failure to deliver on a coalition agreement also raises questions about its internal dynamics.