WA Government reduce Animal Welfare Inspectors from 6 to 1 for the whole state!
- by: Emma Brown
- recipient: Premier Colin Barnett & Minister Terry Redman
The Barnett Government in WA have reduced Western Australias Animal Welfare Inspectors from 6 to 1! This is to cover a state covering 2 525 500 square km - 33% of Australia!
With over 3.3million LIVE SHEEP leaving Western Australias shores alone, how this one officer is now responsible for ensuring the welfare of each animal in our Agircultural industries and Live Export, is beyond reasonable comprehension.
This Government is sending a clear message to the constituents of W.A that they have no interest in the welfare of our Animals, or in upholding Animal Welfare Laws.
To: Premier Barnett & Minister Redman & Minister John Castrilli MLA
The Western Australian Government has all but stopped funding animal welfare activities to the State Animal Welfare Unit Inspectorate. This means that the lead agency for monitoring animal welfare for livestock has been reduced to an administrative function and the enforcement arm, the Inspectorate, is defunct.
The intention of the cut to funding is to turn the Animal Welfare Unit into a 'strategic administration' Unit, i.e. an inactive bureaucratic function with no opportunity to carry out animal welfare inspection to monitor compliance with the Animal Welfare Act 2003 and expose breaches to the Act
The loss of the Inspectorate over the past year has meant that there are no routine inspections in live export, in saleyards or in transport and no-one to whom to refer animal cruelty and welfare issues relating to the treatment of so called pest and feral animals in WA.
From the time the animal leaves the farm to the time the animal is either exported or slaughtered, there are no Animal Welfare Inspectors ensuring compliance to the Animal Welfare Act 2002 and Codes. In the all too often event of animal cruelty and breaches of the transport codes, there is no one to call. According to the Governments own flow chart, the Animal Welfare Unit is the lead agency to call for compromised animals.
The Animal Welfare Unit desperately needs funding so that the appropriate number of operational, proactive Animal Welfare Unit inspectors can be appointed for the work required statewide. One Inspector is obviously not able to do the work of what was previously done by 6 inspectors.
The Government is obliged to meet its legislative responsibilities and respect community expectation that the Animal Welfare Act is enacted and enforced. This can only occur when investigations into reported/alleged breaches of the legislation are undertaken; this can only happen when the AWU appoints more Inspectors.
Ministers And Premier, we call on you to address your failure to adequately fund and staff the operational and proactive State Animal Welfare Unit inspectors who were working in the field to educate, monitor and enforce legislation and prevent the cruelty and suffering from occurring.
This reduction in resources sends a clear message to constituents and voters in W.A that you:
* Have no concerns or regards for Animal Welfare in the state of W.A
* Are not interested in upholding Animal Welfare Laws and Legislation
* Are not concerned about ensuring animals in industry have their welfare needs met
*Have chosen to decrease funding and support in ensuring standards of Animal Welfare in W.A are the best in the country, you have left this open for Welfare standards to be neglected, and therefor for animal suffering and neglect to increase
It is morally incomprehensible, and unreasonable to expect 1 officer to be responsible for inspecting operations and the welfare of:
* 3.3 million Sheep LIVE Exports a year from W.A
* 2 million Beef/Cattle in W.A
* 70,000 Dairy Cows in W.A
* 313,000 pigs in W.A
* 5 Million chickens kept on factory and free range farms in W.A
* Over 11 million livestock sales of animals in W.A each year.
* Millions of pest and feral animals who are protected by our states welfare laws.
In a geographical area covering: 252 million hectares, 114 million of that being Agricultural land.
These animals are at an increased risk of abuse, mismanagement, neglect and suffering, and this is at your doing.
As voters in this state, we seek that you immediately reinstate these 5 positions and commit to maintaining and improving Animal Welfare Standards in Western Australia.
This is a serious issue and your due consideration to address this urgent request is demanded by your voters and by the concerned citizens, who are understandably concerned for the welfare of our animals.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sign PetitionSign PetitionThe Western Australian Government has all but stopped funding animal welfare activities to the State Animal Welfare Unit Inspectorate. This means that the lead agency for monitoring animal welfare for livestock has been reduced to an administrative function and the enforcement arm, the Inspectorate, is defunct.
The intention of the cut to funding is to turn the Animal Welfare Unit into a 'strategic administration' Unit, i.e. an inactive bureaucratic function with no opportunity to carry out animal welfare inspection to monitor compliance with the Animal Welfare Act 2003 and expose breaches to the Act
The loss of the Inspectorate over the past year has meant that there are no routine inspections in live export, in saleyards or in transport and no-one to whom to refer animal cruelty and welfare issues relating to the treatment of so called pest and feral animals in WA.
From the time the animal leaves the farm to the time the animal is either exported or slaughtered, there are no Animal Welfare Inspectors ensuring compliance to the Animal Welfare Act 2002 and Codes. In the all too often event of animal cruelty and breaches of the transport codes, there is no one to call. According to the Governments own flow chart, the Animal Welfare Unit is the lead agency to call for compromised animals.
The Animal Welfare Unit desperately needs funding so that the appropriate number of operational, proactive Animal Welfare Unit inspectors can be appointed for the work required statewide. One Inspector is obviously not able to do the work of what was previously done by 6 inspectors.
The Government is obliged to meet its legislative responsibilities and respect community expectation that the Animal Welfare Act is enacted and enforced. This can only occur when investigations into reported/alleged breaches of the legislation are undertaken; this can only happen when the AWU appoints more Inspectors.
Ministers And Premier, we call on you to address your failure to adequately fund and staff the operational and proactive State Animal Welfare Unit inspectors who were working in the field to educate, monitor and enforce legislation and prevent the cruelty and suffering from occurring.
This reduction in resources sends a clear message to constituents and voters in W.A that you:
* Have no concerns or regards for Animal Welfare in the state of W.A
* Are not interested in upholding Animal Welfare Laws and Legislation
* Are not concerned about ensuring animals in industry have their welfare needs met
*Have chosen to decrease funding and support in ensuring standards of Animal Welfare in W.A are the best in the country, you have left this open for Welfare standards to be neglected, and therefor for animal suffering and neglect to increase
It is morally incomprehensible, and unreasonable to expect 1 officer to be responsible for inspecting operations and the welfare of:
* 3.3 million Sheep LIVE Exports a year from W.A
* 2 million Beef/Cattle in W.A
* 70,000 Dairy Cows in W.A
* 313,000 pigs in W.A
* 5 Million chickens kept on factory and free range farms in W.A
* Over 11 million livestock sales of animals in W.A each year.
* Millions of pest and feral animals who are protected by our states welfare laws.
In a geographical area covering: 252 million hectares, 114 million of that being Agricultural land.
These animals are at an increased risk of abuse, mismanagement, neglect and suffering, and this is at your doing.
As voters in this state, we seek that you immediately reinstate these 5 positions and commit to maintaining and improving Animal Welfare Standards in Western Australia.
This is a serious issue and your due consideration to address this urgent request is demanded by your voters and by the concerned citizens, who are understandably concerned for the welfare of our animals.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
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