October 31, 2018 Liberals secure changes to Animal Welfare Bill Farmers and pastoralists across regional Western Australia will today be celebrating the fact that the McGowan government has back flipped comprehensively on its draconian proposed amendments to the Animal Welfare Act 2002. The Liberal Opposition in the Legislative Council have ensured legislation will proceed which will guarantee Western Australia’s animal welfare laws accommodate the National Standards and Guidelines that are currently evolving across the nation, without expanding regulatory burdens and penalties on farmers and pastoralists. Liberal members of the Standing Committee on Legislation which reviewed the Animal Welfare Bill, Steve Thomas and Jim Chown said growers across Western Australia could take comfort in the fact that Western Australia will have a process that is fair and equitable in regard to the production and welfare of commercially grown stock. Dr Thomas, the only veterinarian in the Western Australian Parliament, said it was pleasing the Government accepted the sensible position recommended so strongly by the Liberal members of the Committee. “The Department of Primary Industries failed to present a valid case for change and has failed to progress the much needed general review of the Animal Welfare Act,” Dr Thomas said. “The Minister’s acceptance that the Department does not need a new big legislative stick to hit farmers with – that is a new type of inspector that can walk onto their farms without notice or reason – is welcomed. “I welcome the new capacity to implement national welfare standards in sections one to eight of the Bill, whilst omitting the other sections the Department could not justify.” Mr Chown, Shadow Minister for Regional Development, called for a full and comprehensive review of the Animal Welfare Act. “The review must give all interested community groups and grower representative bodies the opportunity to engage in a professional manner that will ensure that the reviewed Act will be acceptable at a community level and be in the best interest of animal welfare for many years to come,” Mr Chown said. “We need to ensure any review will protect the interests of farmers and pastoralists who are the lifeblood of our regions and so important to our economy.” Media Contact |
