Greens introduce bill for independent Office of Animal Welfare

The Australian Greens have introduced a bill into the House of Representatives today to establish an independent Office of Animal Welfare, implementing an ALP National Conference resolution made over two and a half years ago.

“The Voice for Animals (Independent Office of Animal Welfare) Bill will establish an animal welfare champion to promote animal rights that is independent of government and the Department of Agriculture,” Greens Deputy Leader Adam Bandt said.

“The call for an Office of Animal Welfare gathered momentum following the 2011 live export scandal but the Minister for Agriculture has been sitting on his hands,” he concluded.

Australian Greens Senator for Tasmania and national spokesperson on trade, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, today highlighted that this initiative is part of the Greens long standing campaign for an end to the cruel live export trade.

“Until live export is stopped the Office of Animal Welfare would monitor and recommend improvements to the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System, which is has been failing animals dramatically,” Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said.

“The Minister would be obliged to respond to recommendations made to Parliament by the Office with the aim of improving the treatment of animals,” Senator Whish-Wilson concluded.

Australian Greens animal welfare spokesperson Senator Lee Rhiannon will introduce the Voice for Animals Bill into the Senate when it next sits.

“This Bill mirrors Labor Party policy. It would be a betrayal if Labor voted with the Coalition to defeat this bill,” Senator Rhiannon said.

“Creating an independent animal rights champion is an important step towards changing the culture within government and the factory farming industry.

“The public rightly expects that profits will not be put before humane treatment of animals. Australia is dragging the chain internationally on animal welfare motivated regulatory reform and this Office will elevate the need for change,” Senator Rhiannon concluded.

Anna Reynolds, Federal Greens candidate for Denison said this bill was just another example of the Greens leading on animal welfare issues.

“Last year saw a historic double win for animal welfare delivered by the Greens with Tasmania being the first state to ban battery hens & sow stalls,” said Mrs. Reynolds.

“This independent Office of Animal Welfare would be another important milestone on the long road towards improving government policy on animal rights.”

Costings by the Parliamentary Budget Office show setting up the Office would be virtually cost neutral, at $0.5 million in 2013/2014