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

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) recognises that:

  (i) many Australian consumers deliberately choose free range labelled eggs to avoid the horrific cruelty of factory-farmed eggs,

  (ii) the Model Code of Practice for Domestic Poultry reflects consumers' expectations that eggs labelled as free range are laid by chickens kept at a maximum density of 1500 chickens per hectare,

  (iii) the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has for years successfully prosecuted unscrupulous egg producers for incorrectly labelling their intensively stocked chickens as free range,

  (iv) the development of the Australian Standard for free range labelled eggs was intended to provide consumers with confidence that free range labelled eggs are laid by hens not suffering under intensively stocked systems of over 1,500 animals,

  (v) the Government's newly announced Standards allow industrial egg producers and major supermarkets to label densities of 10,000 hens per hectare as free range, and

  (vi) the new Standards do not meet community expectations of free range; and

(b) calls on the Government to review the Free Range Egg Labelling Information Standard to accurately reflect the density standard of egg-laying chickens, and to ensure that consumers have correct information about stocking densities.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The information standard is about ensuring consumers have the information they need to make an informed choice and compare brands. It is about information in consumer law, not farming practices or animal welfare. The information standard is not the appropriate vehicle for those matters. The information standard was developed following months of consultation and stakeholder feedback. Again, it is about information so that consumers can make the choice they want when purchasing free-range eggs.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the motion moved by Senator Rhiannon be agreed to.