Groundbreaking New Campaign Targeting Australia’s Broken Animal Welfare System to Launch Today
The Australian Alliance for Animals is today launching a major national campaign –#FairGoForAnimals – in an ambitious bid to fix Australia’s broken animal welfare system.
The launch will feature the release of the Building a fairer Australia for animals report, a 76-page exposition of the flaws in the current system and a pathway to structural reform.
Alliance for Animals’ Policy Director Dr Jed Goodfellow said the campaign launch marked the beginning of a new era for animal welfare policy advocacy in Australia.
“We can’t continue tinkering around the edges of a broken system, it’s time for systemic change, it’s time to give animals a fair go.
“Conflicts of interest plague the current policy framework – they’re built into the very foundations of the system.
“There is no independence in decision-making, science is paid lip service, and community expectations are a distant second to powerful industry interests when it comes to setting our nation’s animal welfare standards.
“There is a reason Australia is one of the poorest performing developed nations on the global Animal Protection Index with an embarrassingly low ‘D’ ranking.
“This is completely at odds with the views of the majority of Australians who overwhelmingly oppose animal cruelty, acknowledge that animals are sentient, and support strong standards of animal welfare.
The #FairGoForAnimals reform framework proposes a range of structural reforms including the creation of separate ministerial portfolios for animal welfare, the establishment of a national Animal Welfare Commission to oversee the development of national standards, legislative recognition of animal sentience, the introduction of guiding decision-making principles that apply across government, and greater funding and resourcing for animal welfare services.
“The reform framework has already been endorsed by 15 of Australia’s leading animal protection organisations and we expect that number to grow substantially in the coming months, Dr Goodfellow said.
“We look forward to bringing these important reforms to the attention of state, territory and federal governments and working with them on improving animal welfare standards in Australia.
Anyone who wants to see animals given a fair go can visit www.fairgoforanimals.org.au to pledge their support for the reform framework.
NOTES FOR MEDIA
The campaign launch event will be held online at 1 pm, opened by Alliance Chair, the Hon Dr Craig Emerson. For event details, visit: https://events.humanitix.com/fairgoforanimals-campaign
For all media, photo and interview inquiries, please contact Media Advisor Lorna Edwards on 0401 804 171 or email media@allianceforanimals.org.au.
Dr Goodfellow is available for interviews:
Dr Jed Goodfellow leads the Alliance’s law and policy reform agenda. He has over 20 years’ experience in animal welfare law, policy and advocacy. He completed his PhD in animal welfare regulation in 2015.
About the Australian Alliance for Animals
The Australian Alliance for Animals is a national charity leading a strategic alliance of Australia’s key animal protection organisations with a combined supporter base of over 2 million people. Website: www.allianceforanimals.org.au
National polling conducted by Roy Morgan Research in March found that:
98% of Australians consider animal welfare to be important
94% support laws that ensure animals are provided with a good quality of life
97% support laws that ensure animals are protected from cruel treatment
80% support government doing more to protect animal welfare
82% support a national government fund to help farmers improve animal welfare practices
74% support the creation of an independent body to oversee animal welfare
85% support animal welfare laws reflecting community expectations and best-available science.