Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Hansard source

I thank all the members who have made contributions on this bill. I know they come from a place of goodwill, generally, and in terms of the experiences that you have in your own electorates. Obviously, we're disappointed in the decision of the opposition not to support the bill, but we will proceed nevertheless.

The Inspector-General of Live Animal Exports Amendment (Animal Welfare) Bill 2023 expands the current office of the Inspector-General of Live Animal Exports to provide enhanced focus on animal welfare in exported livestock. The bill amends the Inspector-General of Live Animal Exports Act 2019 to include additional animal welfare related objects and functions. The additional objects and functions will help to increase oversight, accountability and transparency for animal welfare in exported livestock. The bill also provides for independence of the inspector-general and provides a legislative basis for the inspector-general to operate independently, impartially and transparently.

The bill provides that the inspector-general will be directly focused on the Commonwealth's regulation of live stock exports, not industry. It will also not have any impact on state and territory regulation or domestic animal welfare. There is no interaction with state or territory animal welfare laws in this bill. Together, the expanded role will increase accountability for and transparency of animal welfare in exported livestock.

The bill complements other measures that this government is taking to strengthen animal welfare, including our commitment to provide $5 million to develop a renewed Australian Animal Welfare Strategy to deliver on the government's election commitment to update and enhance our national approach to animal welfare. The measures in the bill will deliver one important part of the Australian government's commitment to strengthening animal welfare. I commend the bill to the chamber.

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