"They're not sanitised, [the images] show animals in appalling conditions, there's pain, there's suffering, it's inexcusable and it's confronting."
Simpson compiled her findings and presented them in a submission to a government review of live export standards.
The report was meant to be confidential, however, it went public when a staff member accidentally uploaded it to the Department of Agriculture’s website.
As a result, senior departmental executive Karen Schneider told Simpson that she had been removed from her position due to pressure from the live export industry.
In a letter obtained by the ABC, Schneider states, "the industry with which we engage has expressed the view that they cannot work with you".
In response, Simpson said, “For the industry to be able to kick a government employee out of a government job… That speaks volumes. I mean, it's a form of corruption.
"I was definitely a clean player in a dirty game and I think it's disgusting that they've shut me down, having come up with such strong, sensible evidence regarding how we can improve this trade."
Simpson is now suing the Commonwealth for breach of contract.
