Andrew Wilkie (Clark, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) notes:

(a) that Australia has an animal welfare crisis, and that cruelty is commonplace in greyhound and horse racing, live exports, the industrial production of food and fibre, rodeos, and puppy and kitten farms;

(b) this cruelty has been on full display recently in:

(i) intensive commercial dog breeding facilities in Tasmania which operated under grossly inhumane and inadequate conditions, where female dogs were forced to breed at appalling rates;

(ii) the treatment of dogs in the greyhound racing industry, which results in unbearable cruelty, injury and even death, for example, in 2024 alone there has been almost 100 on-track deaths and 8,449 injuries Australia-wide; and

(iii) overbreeding of retired racehorses, where the aim is to produce as many foals as possible that might one day generate a return on investment—sadly, as in the case of Black Caviar, this is poorly regulated and often involves almost constant pregnancy and birthing for so-called 'retired' horses, dramatically increasing the risks of injury, infection and death; and

(c) that state and territory governments have not done enough to address this crisis; and

(2) therefore calls on the Government to:

(a) establish a statutory Independent Office of Animal Welfare which will take a leadership role on animal welfare matters at a federal level, including developing a national animal welfare strategy, conducting inquiries and reviews into the effectiveness and implementation of our animal welfare laws; and providing independent, science-based advice to governments on animal welfare issues; and

(b) work with states and territories to improve, harmonise and implement strict animal welfare standards, guidelines and laws.

I would add that cruelty to animals is something I have long stood against in this place because, like most in the community, we understand that animal cruelty is just plain wrong. It is of course also a shocking reflection on the ethics and character of those who inflict it or turn a blind eye to it.

Imagine the community's shock, then, when in 2013 the Abbott government abolished the national strategy for animal welfare and its advisory committee. Imagine the community's dismay when the consequence of that decision was that animal welfare standards became the sole preserve of the states and territories. After all, this is the level of government who have consistently done a terrible job safeguarding animals and clearly can't be trusted. No wonder we welcome this government's commitment to at least re-establish an animal welfare strategy, with $5 million set aside for that purpose in the last budget. But it's only a small step and is well short of the comprehensive national oversight needed, because we have drifted into an undeniable animal welfare crisis, and that's where we'll stay without reform.

This crisis is particularly acute where commodification and profits intersect with animal welfare. For example, many in my home state of Tasmania are appalled by revelations as recent as today about conditions in the state's largest puppy mill, Tasmanian Labradoodles. Mercifully, a lengthy legal battle finally led to the RSPCA closing the mill in July and rehoming more than 250 dogs. But the reality is that many puppy mills still legally exist across the country, using dogs as breeding machines for profit, with some puppies fetching many thousands of dollars each. And, in the process, the breeding animals are often deprived of even their own most basic needs and spend their lives in crates or cages, bearing litter after litter. Rarely if ever are they allowed out to run, play or curl up on the couch with the family.

Another example of the crisis is the greyhound racing industry, where welfare issues are well documented and widespread. They are clearly not the result of a few bad apples, as some would have you believe. No wonder my office is constantly contacted by members of the community who share my disgust with this industry and its appalling treatment of dogs. Frankly, shame on the industry for the outrageous levels of injury and death, physical overexertion, inadequate housing, lack of socialisation and environmental enrichment, cruel training practices, illegal live baiting, administration of banned or unregistered substances and euthanasia of poorly performing or unwanted dogs. Indeed, just since lodging my notice for this motion last month, the number of reported on-track deaths this year has increased from 98 to 116. Track injuries have grown to 8,449 to 9,508. Moreover, 43—or one in every six—dogs 'retired' from the industry in the last year has been killed, which is appalling. It is even more so when you consider that Australia has the largest greyhound racing industry in the world and is one of just seven countries where it's still legal. But, of course, the $4 billion waged annually on greyhound racing gives you a clue as to why governments have continued to turn a blind eye to this reckless cruelty.

Noting that the Melbourne Cup is tomorrow, let's not forget the horse racing industry, where seven horses have died running the Cup in the last decade. One horse is killed on an Australian racetrack every two days. Again, there's the issue of overbreeding, as illustrated shockingly in the case of Black Caviar, who, in the 10 years since her so-called retirement, was forced to bear nine foals before becoming sick and being euthanised. That is not an unusual story—broodmares routinely being constantly either pregnant or lactating or both for their entire breeding lives, without any substantial rest, and ending up with complex health problems. Indeed, mares in Australia are forced to bear around 15,000 foals each year, only about 30 per cent of which ever make it to the track.

All this is to say that we're in a crisis and that we should be working to fix it. That's why I'm moving this motion, calling on the government to set up an independent office of animal welfare, an agency which can take a leadership role in developing and overseeing animal welfare in Australia and bring the states and territories to the table to improve standards and to address this crisis. To do anything less is unconscionable complicity in ongoing cruelty.

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