Email MPs to support the Greens' two animal welfare bills

Animals are sentient beings that feel joy, fear and pain.

But because our laws and their enforcement are inadequate, animals in NSW do not receive the protection they deserve from cruelty and exploitation.

That’s why I have introduced two Greens bills to Parliament which will amend animal welfare legislation to better protect animals in our state.

The first would see the establishment of an Independent Office of Animal Welfare — which will oversee the enforcement of animal welfare laws in NSW and see that the agriculture industry’s profits are no longer the priority over animal welfare.

The second would see the legal recognition of animals as sentient beings — laying the foundation for which we can build stronger and better animal welfare standards in NSW.

Send an email to key MPs demanding they support both urgent animal welfare reforms!

Our animal welfare laws are in urgent need of reform above and beyond the proposed changes in the Government’s draft Animal Welfare Bill.
In 2020, the Parliamentary Inquiry into Animal Cruelty Laws recommended the Government take action to establish an independent statutory body, the Independent Office of Animal Welfare, to oversee the animal welfare framework and the enforcement of animal cruelty laws in our state.
The Greens Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Amendment (Independent Office of Animal Welfare) Bill 2022 will do just that.
Animal welfare organisations and industry professionals have advocated for the establishment of an independent office for many years. It is time that NSW commits to making this happen.
I am concerned that both current provisions under which animal welfare and cruelty laws are enforced and the Government’s proposed changes to the existing regime are not in line with community and industry expectations. As you would know, the Department of Primary Industries currently holds this responsibility, whilst also being responsible for the agriculture industry. As the 2020 Inquiry into Animal Cruelty Laws acknowledged, the Department’s primary purpose is ‘driving stronger primary industries’. This can and does result in significant conflicts of interest when the agriculture industry’s profits would be increased by lax welfare standards and enforcement. Additionally, this responsibility should not be imposed upon the NSW Police Force or charitable organisations such as the RSPCA, but instead a state-funded and constituted, independent and dedicated expert statutory body.
An Independent Office of Animal Welfare which is solely focused on animal welfare and the enforcement of animal cruelty laws will allow NSW to properly protect animals across the state.  
Additionally, the Greens Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Amendment (Animal Sentience) Bill 2022 will further address NSW’s out of date animal welfare legislation by legally recognising the sentience of animals and their intrinsic value.
Current legislation is framed to view animals as a type of property, which is not consistent with modern scientific or community understandings of animals as sentient beings. Explicitly recognising animal sentience in our legislation will lay a strong foundation upon which we can build better animal welfare standards, which is essential as we head into 2022 where the NSW Parliament will be further reviewing our animal welfare laws.
I am asking that you support both of these important and necessary amendments to our outdated animal welfare laws so that we can ensure animals are properly protected from cruelty and exploitation.

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EMAIL MPS TO SUPPORT THE GREENS' TWO ANIMAL WELFARE BILLS