Lee Rhiannon (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I acknowledge that the interjections have already started from the Nationals. We have a bill that we could all unite around because it's about bringing forward adequate processes. Surely nobody wants animals to suffer in various production processes. That's all it does—use various means through this statutory body.

The CEO will report to the minister. They can put forward recommendations to the minister, and those recommendations and their reports need to be tabled in parliament. The minister will be required to respond to those recommendations. It's not just a fancy little body that sits there and sounds good; it actually has follow-through. We, as parliamentarians, can scrutinise it, and the public can be fully aware of what's going on.

As I said, the bill is an opportunity for Labor and the coalition to really show that they are committed to working in a collaborative way to establish an independent office of animal welfare that has the power to bring forward strategies and talk with those involved with animals in all sectors and different industries so we can lift our standards in this country. This is something that is happening in many other countries; they're starting to recognise that in the 21st century we need to show that we do care about animals, that we do understand that they have rights and that we have a responsibility to promote their welfare. With an independent office we can achieve that.

As I said in my opening remarks, Labor have come forward with a policy of an office of animal welfare, but for various reasons it sounds like they're trying to walk down the middle of the road again, trying to give a voice to those in animal groups who are agitating around this issue. They've come forward with the office, but because they're keeping it under the department of agriculture it is effectively sending a signal to certain sectors of the industry, particularly the big agribusinesses, that nothing really has changed. We know that if you walk down the middle of the road you're going to get run over. Labor really should be showing some leadership on this, working with those people who are advocating for an independent office of animal welfare. They're saying they want one, but why put it in the department of agriculture? It's not the way to proceed.