Australian Greens Animal Welfare spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has responded to the announcement that greyhound and horse racing will continue under Stage 4 lockdown in Victoria.

Senator Faruqi said:

“It beggars belief that greyhound and horse racing are continuing during Stage 4 lockdown in Victoria. This is totally absurd and galling.

“The powerful influence of the gambling-fuelled greyhound and horse racing industries has been laid bare. These industries are fundamentally incompatible with animal welfare.

“It’s still cruelty if no one’s watching.”

Following an unsuccessful last-minute court challenge by Animals Australia, Australian Greens Animal Welfare spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that the Agriculture Minister, David Littleproud MP, must urgently intervene to halt the departure of the RETWA live export ship from Australia.

Senator Faruqi will move a motion in the Senate this afternoon calling on the Minister to intervene and stop the RETWA ship from departing Australia.

Senator Faruqi said:

The Greens oppose this motion. The live animal export trade is an industry built on cruelty and on so-called standards that guarantee the horrific cruelty and death of thousands of animals. At the moment there isn't even a semblance of oversight on these ships of misery, as independent observers have been taken off the ships because of COVID-19. There's not one bad apple; the whole barrel is rotten. Misery and cruelty are inherent in live animal exports, and the industry has shown time and again that it is incapable of reform.

Australian Greens Animal Welfare spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that the government must not grant an exemption to allow a live export vessel to ship sheep to the Middle East during the northern summer.

Senator Faruqi said:

“Allowing this voyage to proceed will have deadly consequences for the sheep on board.

“We know sheep suffer immense heat stress in the northern summer conditions. We have seen this cruelty happen so many times before on these ships of misery and it has to stop.

Australian Greens Senator for NSW and Animal Welfare spokesperson Dr Mehreen Faruqi has said the rest of the country must follow Tasmania and stop greyhound and horse racing immediately.

Senator Faruqi said:

“It’s absolutely crazy that greyhound and horse racing is continuing in the middle of a global pandemic.

“It’s clear the only reason racing has been allowed to continue is because of the remarkable power and influence of the gambling and racing industries.

Australian Greens Senator for NSW and Animal Welfare spokesperson Dr Mehreen Faruqi has said that all greyhound and horse racing should cease immediately in Australia.

Senator Faruqi said:

“It’s galling that greyhound and horse racing is allowed to continue in this public health crisis. 

“Organised sports, cinemas, restaurants and shops are shutting down but the government is turning a blind eye to these cruel industries.

“We need an immediate moratorium on racing. Animal cruelty is not an essential service.

Australian Greens Senator and Animal Welfare spokesperson Dr Mehreen Faruqi has called on the Government to commit to recognising veterinary and animal care, rescue and protection services as essential services during the COVID-19 public health crisis. With vets and animal welfare organisations in urgent need of clarity from the Government about their ability to operate under future restrictions and lockdowns, the Government now must declare these services essential.

Senator Faruqi said:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

   (i) 3 baboons made a bid for freedom in Sydney this week,

   (ii) the baboons were from a colony bred for use in research,

   (iii) animal testing causes harm and suffering to animals, and

   (iv) the episode has highlighted the community's concern for the welfare of animals used in experimentation and research;

(b) wishes the baboons well; and

(c) calls on the Federal Government to:

   (i) ensure national transparency and accountability in the use of animals in research, and

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

   (i) unprecedented bushfires across Australia have burnt at least 10 million hectares of land, primarily in New South Wales (NSW), Victoria and South Australia,

   (ii) an estimated 800 million animals have been killed in NSW, with national impact to more than 1 billion animals, including kangaroos, koalas, bats and reptiles, and

   (iii) wildlife carers have been on the frontline, rescuing and caring for injured animals, often at great emotional, financial, physical and emotional cost and sacrifice; and

I rise today to make an urgent plea for change. There are many things that these horrific bushfires have forced a rethink on—on this government's appalling, destructive and selfish lack of ambition to tackle the climate emergency; on how this government was warned of the bushfire crisis we just saw and did nothing. But tonight I want to highlight the need for Australia to draw a line in the sand and say that we will do everything in our power to save our wildlife.