J M Coetzee, Bob Carr to judge TT writer Suzanne

Tasmanian Times contributor Suzanne Cass from Stop Tasmanian Animal Cruelty has reached the final judging for the prestigious Voiceless media prize (print/online section), as one of the finalists in over 100 entries.

Suzanne’s article about the live export trade (HERE: Live Export Shame Tasmania) was published by Tasmanian Times in September, and was submitted by another committed animal advocate, Patti Cosgrove, for the annual prize from Voiceless, the Animal Protection Institute, known for its generosity in proving grants and support for animal welfare across the country.

Totalling $10,000, the Prizes comprise $5,000 each for the best print or online feature and for the best broadcast feature. The awards recognise the most accurate and influential reports on animal protection and ethics. Successful entries must:

• Address one of the following ‘areas’: factory farming; live export; kangaroo ‘culling’ and other hunting and poisoning activities; animal experimentation; animals in entertainment – zoos, circuses and rodeos; animals killed for fashion – fur and skins;

• Examine the ethical relationship between human and non-human animals; or

• Bring attention to the sentience of animals.

Suzanne’s September article focused upon the government’s poor response to the horrors of the live export trade, exposed most recently in Indonesia. The opinion piece was an analysis of the performance of politicians in response to the atrocities that have been revealed in a number of well-respected documentary programs over the last decade, and the failure of the government enquiries to effect any meaningful change or improvement.

Suzanne has been a passionate advocate for animals for many years, and has organised a number of successful protest activities targeting the live export trade and abuse of animals used in farming, as well as studying Animal Law as part of a post-graduate Law degree. She has attended most of the more egregious animal abuse cases in the courts, and campaigned for stronger, meaningful sentencing in these cases, which mostly have attracted nothing more than a ‘slap on the wrist’ from Tasmanian magistrates.

The judging will take place in Sydney on November 30, and Suzanne is hoping to be able to attend. The judging panel is J M Coetzee, winner of Nobel Prize for literature and Voiceless Patron; the Honourable Bob Carr, former Premier of New South Wales; Emeritus Professor David Weisbrot AM, Former President of the Australian Law Reform Commission; Brian Sherman AM and Ondine Sherman, Voiceless Managing Directors.