Today (9 March), animal advocacy organisation Animals Aotearoa has launched a provocative ad in Wellington directly targeting Prime Minister Christopher Luxon over his failure to stop imports from farming systems illegal in New Zealand, adding to recent calls from farmers demanding the same.

The ad depicts a suited figure head-down in the pavement outside the Beehive, with the message: "Prime Minister, IGNORING THIS ISN'T KIWI!" and “Tell Luxon, be more Kiwi, less Ostrich”. Above are images of sow stalls – cages so small pigs cannot turn around, banned in New Zealand but used overseas to produce over 60% of pig meat sold.

"The PM has had years, a petition, a Bill in Parliament, economic proof it can work, and 83% public support for a ban on cruel imports," says Marianne Macdonald, Executive Director of Animals Aotearoa. "The case for banning these imports has been made - repeatedly. When a government continues to allow imports that couldn't legally be produced in New Zealand, despite all of that, you have to ask who they're actually listening to - because it isn't Kiwis."

Key facts:
Pig meat: 90% of imports come from countries allowing sow stalls (banned since 2016)
Eggs: Over 50% of liquid egg imports from countries allowing battery cages (banned in NZ 2023)
Wool: Most imports come from Australia, where live lamb cutting (mulesing) is common – a practice that can result in a criminal conviction in New Zealand.

The issue of cruel imports has been extensively documented:
June 2021: NZ Pork launched their own petition
March 2024: "Closing the Welfare Gap" report released (Animal Policy International, SPCA, NZ Animal Law Association)
May 2025: 11,000-signature petition delivered to Parliament
May 2025: Green MP Steve Abel tables Animal Products (Closing the Welfare Gap) Amendment Bill
October 2025: Economic analysis shows minimal consumer cost (25c/week per person)
February 2026: Farmers launch their own campaign and open letters demanding action
Polling: 83% public support (Horizon Research, 2023)

The ad launches in Wellington this week, timed to pressure parties ahead of the 7 November election.

"This is an election wedge issue," says Macdonald. "Kiwis deserve to know: will parties protect New Zealand's animal welfare standards, or keep allowing imports from systems we've banned as cruel?"

Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard, who holds responsibility for animal welfare, has previously argued that applying domestic standards to imports could harm the export sector. Experts dispute this with a recent study finding no evidence to support the claim, and noted that the EU is already committed to banning imports that don't meet its own welfare standards. Last week farmers also sent an open letter to the Government arguing that "The pork industry shouldn't be sacrificed to protect theoretical trade risks while the real damage is happening right now."

"The world is moving. The EU is moving. New Zealand farmers want this. Voters want this and animals need this," says Macdonald. "The only person not moving is Christopher Luxon. He can't keep ignoring 83% of New Zealanders who support this."

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