Animal cruelty at an Inghams turkey abattoir south west of Sydney is a stark reminder of the need for an animal welfare champion in the form of the long overdue independent federal office of Animal Welfare, says Australian Greens animal welfare spokesperson Lee Rhiannon (ABC Lateline, 20 March 2013).

Speech by Lee Rhiannon 12 March 2013 in response to the follow government report on live export voyage mortalities: http://www.daff.gov.au/animal-plant-health/welfare/export-trade/mortalities.

Senator RHIANNON (New South Wales) (18:52): I move:

Australian Greens animal welfare spokesperson Lee Rhiannon questions representatives of the federal Department of Agriculture about revision of animal welfare codes.

Senate Estimates - Monday, 11 February 2013

RURAL AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS AND TRANSPORT LEGISLATION COMMITTEE

Biosecurity-Animal
Ms Karen Schneider, First Assistant Secretary

In Senate Estimates Senator Rhiannon asks the Australian Egg Corp, which represents 400 commercial egg producers, what represents a 'free range egg' and their approach to labelling. Read the full transcript.

The Minister for Agriculture Joe Ludwig can no longer brush off mounting evidence of the inability of the government's new live exports regulatory system to end animal cruelty as witnessed on last night's report on ABC TV 7.30 which focused on the Israeli Bakar Tnuva abattoir, says Australian Greens animal welfare spokesperson Senator Lee Rhiannon.

Federal Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig is under pressure to ensure 12 million plus battery hens in Australia do not continue to live a cruel existence, following New Zealand's decision to ban new cage installation from today and phase out the industry by 2022, says Australian Greens animal welfare spokesperson Lee Rhiannon.

"The responsibility to modernise factory farming to reduce animal cruelty is not on Minister Ludwig's radar and New Zealand's announcement shines a light on his sluggish performance," Senator Rhiannon said.