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

What a silly question: who's going to eat it? It's about the export trade. Surely, you must have examined it?

Again, it's just that you're locked on to a few pastoralists and also that you're obsessed by the whole issue. It is clear that trying to reform and regulate the live export industry has failed.

Again, this gives further weight to the Greens' call for an independent office of animal welfare. I acknowledge that we're not going to solve this issue overnight, but we need to look at a strategy for what works best for this country. This country includes the people, it includes consideration of their jobs and it includes consideration of animal welfare. The office would be integral to the welfare of animals across Australia.

The committee—which is part of what we would be setting up in this bill, along with the CEO—would consist of scientists, consumer groups, non-governmental animal welfare groups, the department, commercial producers and purchasers of animals and animal products. These stakeholders, collectively, would have a seat at the table together. That would allow for reasonable debate. At times it would be challenging, but you could have a balanced debate surrounding animal welfare and animal rights. That really is the direction that we need to be taking, for so many reasons. We still have before us—this fell over at the end of last year—trying to deal with cruel cosmetics. It looked like the Liberal-National government was running a bit of a scam on that one. We need to get back to that, so that we can stop cosmetics and ingredients coming into this country that have been tested on animals. Then there's the issue of the management of our poultry, both for egg-laying poultry and poultry that is eaten.

In too many areas there is extreme cruelty continuing, and something needs to be done about this. Right now, the situation is leaving Australia very vulnerable. We've seen reports of dairy cows having their calves removed moments after birth, as surplus to requirements; hens in artificially-lit sheds and overcrowded cages where they are constantly standing on sloping, wired floors, never able to rest their legs; and mother pigs confined to pens too small. There are so many reasons why an office of animal welfare is urgently needed, an office that is independent, that works with all stakeholders and that can ensure our economy develops in a proper way. (Time expired)