Today the NSW Labor Government has confirmed their plans for an independent office of animal welfare - except that it will not be independent, not an office and not for animal welfare.
The NSW Upper House has today debated the NSW Greens Independent Office of Animal Welfare Bill introduced by Greens MLC Abigail Boyd.
As part of their platform ahead of the 2023 State Election, NSW Labor committed to introducing a new animal welfare framework in NSW, including establishing an independent office of animal welfare. However, in voting down the bill, the Agriculture Minister made clear Labor's intentions to introduce their own bill that creates a body that has no operational costs, sees the inherently-conflicted Minister for Agriculture of the day retain primary responsibility for the welfare of animals, and which is required to consult as much with industry as it does with animal welfare stakeholders.
As stated by Abigail Boyd, Greens NSW Animal Welfare spokesperson:
"It is truly shameful to hear the Agriculture Minister confirm what we have long suspected - that Labor has no intention of keeping their election commitment to introduce an independent office of animal welfare, and is instead slow-walking towards creating wholly inadequate regulation that will overlook the interests of animals in our state.
"Unless it is truly independent, robustly resourced and responsible for prioritising the interests of animals, Labor cannot possibly call their long-promised reform an independent office of animal welfare.
"Labor is too afraid to do anything that is not in the interest of Big Ag, and as a result we will undoubtedly see animals across our state continue to suffer in the name of profit.
"Establishing an Independent Office of Animal Welfare that aligns with scientific evidence and community expectations has been core Greens business for over a decade.
"Our Greens bill was developed in close consultation with the animal welfare sector and the community, and would have done exactly what is needed to overhaul our outdated animal welfare framework.
"Labor's failure to support our Greens bill today is yet another broken election promise, and is an insult to all those in the community who have campaigned tirelessly for an independent office of animal welfare for years."
