❓ Hon Giz Watson questions Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich regarding amendments to the Animal Welfare Act following a court case involving Emanuel Exports. Ravlich avoids a firm commitment, stating amendments may be needed to improve animal welfare outcomes after clarifying jurisdictional issues with the Commonwealth.
AnsweredQoN 222Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
LIVE ANIMAL EXPORTS — ANIMAL WELFARE ACT
This question follows on from my earlier one. Will the minister provide an assurance to the house that she will not amend the state’s Animal Welfare Act in response to the court case between the Department of Local Government and Regional Development and Emanuel Exports Pty Ltd and as a consequence of her negotiations with the commonwealth? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH
This question follows on from my earlier one. Will the minister provide an assurance to the house that she will not amend the state’s Animal Welfare Act in response to the court case between the Department of Local Government and Regional Development and Emanuel Exports Pty Ltd and as a consequence of her negotiations with the commonwealth? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH
AnswerView source ↗
I cannot give that assurance at this time. I thank the honourable member for the question. The determination by Magistrate Catherine Crawford on this particular matter was based on the question of jurisdiction, and a number of issues need to be canvassed about possible conflict between the commonwealth and state legislation. There may need to be some — Hon Giz Watson : You will not give a commitment? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : I give the member a commitment that I do not intend to weaken the act in any way, shape or form. However, if the act needs to be amended to achieve better animal welfare outcomes after clarification of areas of jurisdiction with the commonwealth government, I will certainly do that. If the member is asking me whether I would weaken the act in any way, shape or form, I do not intend to do that. I intend to work to strengthen the act to achieve better animal outcomes. I also intend to take a very practical approach to the issue of ensuring that sheep that are susceptible to this particular non-feeding do not go onto the ships. As I understand it, 70 per cent of sheep deaths on those ships are because of the shy feed. If the member can find a solution to that problem, or if that issue can be dealt with between the commonwealth, the state and the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service, it will be a major breakthrough. If there is will on everybody’s part to work for that outcome, we will get a far more satisfactory animal welfare outcome than would be achieved by fighting legal action in courts, which really gets us nowhere in a practical sense.
Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I cannot give that assurance at this time. I thank the honourable member for the question. The determination by Magistrate Catherine Crawford on this particular matter was based on the question of jurisdiction, and a number of issues need to be canvassed about possible conflict between the commonwealth and state legislation. There may need to be some — Hon Giz Watson : You will not give a commitment? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : I give the member a commitment that I do not intend to weaken the act in any way, shape or form. However, if the act needs to be amended to achieve better animal welfare outcomes after clarification of areas of jurisdiction with the commonwealth government, I will certainly do that. If the member is asking me whether I would weaken the act in any way, shape or form, I do not intend to do that. I intend to work to strengthen the act to achieve better animal outcomes. I also intend to take a very practical approach to the issue of ensuring that sheep that are susceptible to this particular non-feeding do not go onto the ships. As I understand it, 70 per cent of sheep deaths on those ships are because of the shy feed. If the member can find a solution to that problem, or if that issue can be dealt with between the commonwealth, the state and the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service, it will be a major breakthrough. If there is will on everybody’s part to work for that outcome, we will get a far more satisfactory animal welfare outcome than would be achieved by fighting legal action in courts, which really gets us nowhere in a practical sense.
I cannot give that assurance at this time. I thank the honourable member for the question. The determination by Magistrate Catherine Crawford on this particular matter was based on the question of jurisdiction, and a number of issues need to be canvassed about possible conflict between the commonwealth and state legislation. There may need to be some — Hon Giz Watson : You will not give a commitment? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : I give the member a commitment that I do not intend to weaken the act in any way, shape or form. However, if the act needs to be amended to achieve better animal welfare outcomes after clarification of areas of jurisdiction with the commonwealth government, I will certainly do that. If the member is asking me whether I would weaken the act in any way, shape or form, I do not intend to do that. I intend to work to strengthen the act to achieve better animal outcomes. I also intend to take a very practical approach to the issue of ensuring that sheep that are susceptible to this particular non-feeding do not go onto the ships. As I understand it, 70 per cent of sheep deaths on those ships are because of the shy feed. If the member can find a solution to that problem, or if that issue can be dealt with between the commonwealth, the state and the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service, it will be a major breakthrough. If there is will on everybody’s part to work for that outcome, we will get a far more satisfactory animal welfare outcome than would be achieved by fighting legal action in courts, which really gets us nowhere in a practical sense.
Hon Giz Watson : You will not give a commitment? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : I give the member a commitment that I do not intend to weaken the act in any way, shape or form. However, if the act needs to be amended to achieve better animal welfare outcomes after clarification of areas of jurisdiction with the commonwealth government, I will certainly do that. If the member is asking me whether I would weaken the act in any way, shape or form, I do not intend to do that. I intend to work to strengthen the act to achieve better animal outcomes. I also intend to take a very practical approach to the issue of ensuring that sheep that are susceptible to this particular non-feeding do not go onto the ships. As I understand it, 70 per cent of sheep deaths on those ships are because of the shy feed. If the member can find a solution to that problem, or if that issue can be dealt with between the commonwealth, the state and the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service, it will be a major breakthrough. If there is will on everybody’s part to work for that outcome, we will get a far more satisfactory animal welfare outcome than would be achieved by fighting legal action in courts, which really gets us nowhere in a practical sense.
Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : I give the member a commitment that I do not intend to weaken the act in any way, shape or form. However, if the act needs to be amended to achieve better animal welfare outcomes after clarification of areas of jurisdiction with the commonwealth government, I will certainly do that. If the member is asking me whether I would weaken the act in any way, shape or form, I do not intend to do that. I intend to work to strengthen the act to achieve better animal outcomes. I also intend to take a very practical approach to the issue of ensuring that sheep that are susceptible to this particular non-feeding do not go onto the ships. As I understand it, 70 per cent of sheep deaths on those ships are because of the shy feed. If the member can find a solution to that problem, or if that issue can be dealt with between the commonwealth, the state and the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service, it will be a major breakthrough. If there is will on everybody’s part to work for that outcome, we will get a far more satisfactory animal welfare outcome than would be achieved by fighting legal action in courts, which really gets us nowhere in a practical sense.
Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I cannot give that assurance at this time. I thank the honourable member for the question. The determination by Magistrate Catherine Crawford on this particular matter was based on the question of jurisdiction, and a number of issues need to be canvassed about possible conflict between the commonwealth and state legislation. There may need to be some — Hon Giz Watson : You will not give a commitment? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : I give the member a commitment that I do not intend to weaken the act in any way, shape or form. However, if the act needs to be amended to achieve better animal welfare outcomes after clarification of areas of jurisdiction with the commonwealth government, I will certainly do that. If the member is asking me whether I would weaken the act in any way, shape or form, I do not intend to do that. I intend to work to strengthen the act to achieve better animal outcomes. I also intend to take a very practical approach to the issue of ensuring that sheep that are susceptible to this particular non-feeding do not go onto the ships. As I understand it, 70 per cent of sheep deaths on those ships are because of the shy feed. If the member can find a solution to that problem, or if that issue can be dealt with between the commonwealth, the state and the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service, it will be a major breakthrough. If there is will on everybody’s part to work for that outcome, we will get a far more satisfactory animal welfare outcome than would be achieved by fighting legal action in courts, which really gets us nowhere in a practical sense.
I cannot give that assurance at this time. I thank the honourable member for the question. The determination by Magistrate Catherine Crawford on this particular matter was based on the question of jurisdiction, and a number of issues need to be canvassed about possible conflict between the commonwealth and state legislation. There may need to be some — Hon Giz Watson : You will not give a commitment? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : I give the member a commitment that I do not intend to weaken the act in any way, shape or form. However, if the act needs to be amended to achieve better animal welfare outcomes after clarification of areas of jurisdiction with the commonwealth government, I will certainly do that. If the member is asking me whether I would weaken the act in any way, shape or form, I do not intend to do that. I intend to work to strengthen the act to achieve better animal outcomes. I also intend to take a very practical approach to the issue of ensuring that sheep that are susceptible to this particular non-feeding do not go onto the ships. As I understand it, 70 per cent of sheep deaths on those ships are because of the shy feed. If the member can find a solution to that problem, or if that issue can be dealt with between the commonwealth, the state and the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service, it will be a major breakthrough. If there is will on everybody’s part to work for that outcome, we will get a far more satisfactory animal welfare outcome than would be achieved by fighting legal action in courts, which really gets us nowhere in a practical sense.
Hon Giz Watson : You will not give a commitment? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : I give the member a commitment that I do not intend to weaken the act in any way, shape or form. However, if the act needs to be amended to achieve better animal welfare outcomes after clarification of areas of jurisdiction with the commonwealth government, I will certainly do that. If the member is asking me whether I would weaken the act in any way, shape or form, I do not intend to do that. I intend to work to strengthen the act to achieve better animal outcomes. I also intend to take a very practical approach to the issue of ensuring that sheep that are susceptible to this particular non-feeding do not go onto the ships. As I understand it, 70 per cent of sheep deaths on those ships are because of the shy feed. If the member can find a solution to that problem, or if that issue can be dealt with between the commonwealth, the state and the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service, it will be a major breakthrough. If there is will on everybody’s part to work for that outcome, we will get a far more satisfactory animal welfare outcome than would be achieved by fighting legal action in courts, which really gets us nowhere in a practical sense.
Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : I give the member a commitment that I do not intend to weaken the act in any way, shape or form. However, if the act needs to be amended to achieve better animal welfare outcomes after clarification of areas of jurisdiction with the commonwealth government, I will certainly do that. If the member is asking me whether I would weaken the act in any way, shape or form, I do not intend to do that. I intend to work to strengthen the act to achieve better animal outcomes. I also intend to take a very practical approach to the issue of ensuring that sheep that are susceptible to this particular non-feeding do not go onto the ships. As I understand it, 70 per cent of sheep deaths on those ships are because of the shy feed. If the member can find a solution to that problem, or if that issue can be dealt with between the commonwealth, the state and the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service, it will be a major breakthrough. If there is will on everybody’s part to work for that outcome, we will get a far more satisfactory animal welfare outcome than would be achieved by fighting legal action in courts, which really gets us nowhere in a practical sense.
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