The kangaroo meat trade to Russia was initially suspended back in 2008, and then reopened in November 2012.

The most recent ban was put in place in May this year, but Fiona Corke from the Australian Society for Kangaroos says this information was never made public.

“No politician has come forward and said anything, the kangaroo industry hasn’t come forward and said anything, and we think the public has a right to know.

“Kangaroo meat is marketed to them as being a healthy superfood, yet we have a country that doesn’t want to buy it any more because they’ve found excessive amounts of bacterial contamination.”

The managing director of Macro Meats, which was the sole supplier of kangaroo meat to Russia, says the company is working to reopen the kangaroo meat trade.

Ray Borda says Russia was using the wrong testing standards for kangaroo meat.

Kangaroo export markets generate demand for the meat, creating incentive for harvesters, who then help landholders control the vast kangaroo population in outback Australia.

Western Queensland kangaroo harvester Graham Mackney says harvesters were not formally notified of the ban.

“We all found out by word of mouth.”

He says another ban due to high levels of E.coli looks bad for the industry.

“If it was E.coli again we really have to start looking at where and why this problem keeps happening and put prevention measures in place.”