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

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that on 17 October 2019, 7.30 revealed that:

  (i) horses bred for racing, and subject to interstate trade, are being sent to knackeries and abattoirs to be slaughtered,

  (ii) the horse racing industry produced more than 14,000 foals in the last financial year,

  (iii) footage of horses matched to the national industry's official record of thoroughbreds—the Australian Stud Book showed around 300 racehorses, representing almost $5 million in prize money, were detected at Meramist Abattoir in Queensland in just 22 days alone,

  (iv) horses like Tahitian Black, who won $400,000 in prize money, were trialled and raced dozens of times for people to wager on for sport, and have been discarded at knackeries and used for pet food, and

  (v) thoroughbred race horses as young as two years old, fillies and colts, and the brood mares that produced them, are ending up at slaughter houses and knackeries; and

(b) calls on the Federal Government to request His Excellency the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia to issue Letters Patent to establish a royal commission to inquire into cruelty to race horses.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This story was, of course, confronting. Animal welfare and the regulation of the racing industry are the responsibility of the states. Queensland has established an inquiry into the abattoir and the wider treatment of racehorses. The Australian government is investigating alleged animal cruelty at the abattoir, as it's export registered. Agriculture ministers have called on state racing ministers to consider the establishment of a national racehorse register. Ministers also commissioned a review of the Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for the land transport of livestock in respect of horses. What can be done appropriately by the Commonwealth is already being done.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Labor will not support the Greens' motion. We agree that the images and evidence of animal cruelty are confronting and appalling, and we're deeply concerned that animal welfare failings have occurred with retired racehorses. However, there are a number of investigations and reviews underway, and the associated industries are working to ensure that systems are put in place to address the current failings. It's important to give these investigations and reviews the opportunity to do what they need to do and that the findings are made public to ensure that welfare standards are implemented and adhered to.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that motion No. 227 be agreed to.