It’s time to give animals a fair go
Australia’s animal welfare system is failing the animals it is supposed to protect. Millions of animals suffer under outdated laws and weak protections, while those responsible for their welfare are also tasked with driving industry growth and productivity. This fundamental conflict of interest has led to government inaction, despite overwhelming public support for stronger welfare standards. It’s time to change the system.
The 10th of March is Fair Go for Animals Day, a national day of action to put the spotlight on the broken animal welfare system. This is our chance to unite and call for the reforms needed to create a truly independent and fairer system, one that puts the interests of animals first.
Why is Australia’s animal welfare system broken?
For too long, governments have treated animal welfare as a low priority issue, instead prioritising industry profits. The same departments and ministers responsible for increasing the productivity and profitability of animal agriculture are also tasked with safeguarding animal welfare. This conflict of interest often prevents decision-makers from pursuing higher standards of welfare.
Shockingly, our laws don’t even require decision-makers to consider scientific evidence or community expectations when setting standards. As regulations fail to evolve with the latest science, millions of animals are left trapped in outdated and inhumane systems.
Australia is also falling behind the rest of the world. While countries like New Zealand and the United Kingdom have made significant progress in recognising animal sentience and enacting higher welfare standards, Australia continues to permit practices banned elsewhere.
As a result, the broken system allows live lamb cutting (mulesing), battery cages, and other cruel practices to continue, despite clear alternatives. It’s time for change; the animals deserve better.
A pathway to a fairer future.
In 2022, the Australian Alliance for Animals launched the Fair Go for Animals campaign, proposing six crucial reforms to fix the broken system:
Ministerial recognition: Appoint dedicated Ministers for Animal Welfare to reduce conflicts of interest.
National Animal Welfare Commission: Create an independent body to ensure unbiased oversight, making the system truly independent.
State Animal Welfare Authorities: Establish dedicated government authorities to uphold animal welfare laws in each state.
Decision-making principles and sentience recognition: Embed guiding decision-making principles into animal welfare legislation and recognise animals as sentient beings with intrinsic value.
Fair and accountable animal welfare standards processes: Create new standard-setting and decision-making processes to ensure transparency and accountability.
Adequate funding: Allocate proper funding for animal welfare services in line with community expectations.
Today, we’re declaring the 10th of March as Fair Go for Animals Day, a national day of action for animals. It’s a moment to mobilise support, demand better laws, and push for a system that truly protects animals.
Why the 10th of March?
The 10th of March commemorates Ruth Harrison’s influential book, Animal Machines. Published in 1964, it sparked the world’s first major debates on factory farming and the need for animal welfare policy reforms. Over 60 years later, it’s time to focus the debate on the structural reforms that will truly recognise the sentience of animals and prioritise their welfare.
“In fact, if one person is unkind to an animal it is considered to be cruelty, but where a lot of people are unkind to animals, especially in the name of commerce, the cruelty is condoned and, once large sums of money are at stake, will be defended to the last by otherwise intelligent people.”
Ruth Harrison, Animal Machines
Support the change animals need.
You have the power to help reshape Australia’s animal welfare system. Politicians and decision-makers respond to public pressure and without strong public backing, animal welfare remains a low priority for governments.
Take action today:
Fill out the form below to endorse the Fair Go for Animals campaign: you’ll join a growing movement of individuals, organisations and businesses who support the call for vital government and institutional reforms for animals.
Write to your representatives: send a letter to the NSW Premier Chris Minns, Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty, and your local MP, urging them to prioritise these crucial reforms.
Spread the word: the more people who take action, the louder our message becomes.
Together, we can build a system that reflects our values– one that treats animals with the dignity and respect they deserve.
