❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice addresses animal welfare, specifically focusing on the budget allocated for prosecutions under the Animal Welfare Act 2002, the status of animal welfare investigations, and the protection of fish welfare. The Minister provides details on budget allocation, investigation status, and relevant legislation.
AnsweredQoN 5755Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Will the Minister please identify what the Department of Agriculture has budgeted to spend on prosecutions for breaches of the
Animal Welfare Act 2002
in the 2012-2013 financial year?
(2) Will the Minister please identify —
(a) the current status all animal welfare investigations commenced since the Department of Agriculture assumed jurisdiction in respect of the
Animal Welfare Act 2002
;
(b) the amount allocated in the 2012-2013 Budget to finalise the investigations referred to in (2)(a);
(c) the current status of all animal welfare investigations which had been commenced but not completed prior to the Department of Agriculture assuming jurisdiction in respect of the
Animal Welfare Act 2002
; and
(d) the amount allocated in the 2012-2013 to finalise the investigations referred to in (2)(c)?
(3) Given that a fish is not defined as an animal under the
Animal Welfare Act 2002
—
(a) will the Minister please identify what statutory protection exists to regulate the welfare of fish;
(b) what measures does the Department of Fisheries plan to take in the 2012-2013 financial year to promote the welfare of fish, and how much has been budgeted in respect of these measures; and
(c) has the Minister considered defining a fish as an animal under the
Animal Welfare Act 2002
to correct this deficiency in the Act?
Animal Welfare Act 2002
in the 2012-2013 financial year?
(2) Will the Minister please identify —
(a) the current status all animal welfare investigations commenced since the Department of Agriculture assumed jurisdiction in respect of the
Animal Welfare Act 2002
;
(b) the amount allocated in the 2012-2013 Budget to finalise the investigations referred to in (2)(a);
(c) the current status of all animal welfare investigations which had been commenced but not completed prior to the Department of Agriculture assuming jurisdiction in respect of the
Animal Welfare Act 2002
; and
(d) the amount allocated in the 2012-2013 to finalise the investigations referred to in (2)(c)?
(3) Given that a fish is not defined as an animal under the
Animal Welfare Act 2002
—
(a) will the Minister please identify what statutory protection exists to regulate the welfare of fish;
(b) what measures does the Department of Fisheries plan to take in the 2012-2013 financial year to promote the welfare of fish, and how much has been budgeted in respect of these measures; and
(c) has the Minister considered defining a fish as an animal under the
Animal Welfare Act 2002
to correct this deficiency in the Act?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
11 September 2012
Responded by
Minister for Child Protection representing the Minister for Agriculture and Food
Response time
77 days
(1) The Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia (DAFWA) has a budget of $1,012,000 for the operational expenses of the Livestock Compliance Unit (LCU) in 2012-13, which includes the enforcement of the
Animal Welfare Act 2002
.DAFWA does not specifically identify funds for prosecutions as a separate item. Prosecutions for breaches of the
Animal Welfare Act 2002
are conducted by the State Solicitors Office (SSO) and not DAFWA.
(2)(a) Since assuming responsibility for the
Animal Welfare Act 2002,
the LCU have instigated investigations into 71 animal cruelty reports. Of these investigations, 12 are ongoing. The remainder have been dealt with through education supported by warning letters, management plans and direction notices.
(b) Operating costs are met from the LCU budget and prosecution costs are met by the SSO.
(c)-(d) All unfinished complaints transferred to DAFWA have been either referred to the RSPCA or assessed and managed within the LCU. A number of prosecutions are currently before the Courts.
(3)(a) There are powers within the
Fish Resources Management Act 1994
to prescribe measures to prevent cruelty to fish and to provide for the welfare, safety and health of fish.
(b) This is a matter for the Minister for Fisheries.
(c) No
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Animal Welfare Act 2002
.DAFWA does not specifically identify funds for prosecutions as a separate item. Prosecutions for breaches of the
Animal Welfare Act 2002
are conducted by the State Solicitors Office (SSO) and not DAFWA.
(2)(a) Since assuming responsibility for the
Animal Welfare Act 2002,
the LCU have instigated investigations into 71 animal cruelty reports. Of these investigations, 12 are ongoing. The remainder have been dealt with through education supported by warning letters, management plans and direction notices.
(b) Operating costs are met from the LCU budget and prosecution costs are met by the SSO.
(c)-(d) All unfinished complaints transferred to DAFWA have been either referred to the RSPCA or assessed and managed within the LCU. A number of prosecutions are currently before the Courts.
(3)(a) There are powers within the
Fish Resources Management Act 1994
to prescribe measures to prevent cruelty to fish and to provide for the welfare, safety and health of fish.
(b) This is a matter for the Minister for Fisheries.
(c) No
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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