Mehreen Faruqi (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Storer for bringing this motion to the Senate. The Greens will be supporting this because we do need an independent office of animal welfare to drive policy and to protect animals. There is a huge conflict of interest when animal welfare issues are regulated by agriculture departments. The recent Moss review into live exports shows what a mess all this is. The government is quite happy to sit by and watch animals suffer, including increasing stock densities and live export ships against the advice of the Australian Veterinary Association. Neither Labor nor Liberal have the courage to take on the cruelty in the greyhound racing industry or to end the most cruel intense farming practices. Only an independent office of animal welfare removed from the conflicts of interest is the way to achieve this.

Question negatived.