Animal Welfare Bill Passes

A new animal welfare regime has passed in Parliament.

The third reading debate on the Animal Welfare Amendment Bill was completed on a voice vote though many Opposition MPs felt the new measures did not go far enough.

Last week when the third reading debate began the Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy outlined the changes and said they would be a step forward from the current laws.

These changes included amendments made in the committee stage to ban animals being used for testing cosmetics at the suggestion of Green MP Mojo Mathers and supported by all parties.

Trevor Mallard said Labour would support the bill, but the measures to crack down on those who treated animals cruelly did not go far enough. The Government had taken far too slow an approach to dealing with the bill and much of its credibility would depend on enforcement.

A number of speakers said the new laws had phase in periods that were too long around areas of factory farming, but Government MPs said these were necessary so farmers could adapt.

Concerns were also expressed the law still allowed for the possibility of exports of alive stock animals such as sheep and wanted it banned.

MPs then began the second reading of the Social Assistance (Portability to Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau) Bill.

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