The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) has raised alarm bells over election policies on animal welfare, revealed in an activist-led Federal Election scorecard.
The Australian Alliance for Animals claims in a pre-election policy review that Labor and the Greens have made several major promises on animal welfare without informing the Australian public – or consulting the farm sector.
NFF President David Jochinke said farmers were deeply worried Labor and the Greens were yet again taking advice from an uninformed, city-based minority whose only on-farm experience has been illegally sneaking into properties.
“Farmers’ livelihoods depend on positive animal welfare outcomes – our animals are our number one priority. Decisions and regulations around animal welfare must be informed by science and evidence and done in consultation with industry.”
The NFF notes the following commitments:
- Develop an animal welfare trade policy and will seek to include animal welfare provisions in new trade agreements.
- Expand the role of the Inspector-General of Animal Welfare and Live Animal Export.
- In principle support for the Alliance’s goal to “extend eligibility for deductible gift recipient (DGR) status to all animal welfare charities” – meaning some activist organisations could be given significant funding boosts instead of taxpayer dollars going to genuine charities.
This comes against a backdrop of banning live sheep exports at the behest of activists, and a lack of transparency around animal welfare provisions in the recent Australia-United Arab Emirates Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.
“The NFF is extremely concerned with who these parties are choosing to listen to when developing policy,” Mr Jochinke said.
“The sector has long said that the priority of trade negotiations should be market access, but should the Government seek to develop such a policy in a trade context, it must prioritise the input of Australian farmers and exporters, and exclude those ideologically opposed to farming.
“Giving DGR status to radical activist groups isn’t about animal welfare – it’s about bankrolling campaigns to tear down farming families and the industries that feed us.
“There are legitimate animal welfare organisations. But there are also extremist groups who ignore the law, trespass onto private farms and businesses, harass people online, and intimidate rural communities in pursuit of a reckless agenda to wipe out Australia’s livestock sector. That’s not charity. That’s an attack on Australian agriculture.
“Farmers will be shocked, especially given farming organisations such as the NFF, government representatives and animal welfare groups are participating in a major roundtable on the renewed Australian Animal Welfare Strategy (AAWS) just next week,” Mr Jochinke said.
“The NFF and farming bodies participated in good faith in the development of Australia’s first-ever National Statement on Animal Welfare, released in December. And we’re working together to revive AAWS.
“After the Government’s appalling decision to ban live sheep exports, ignoring the facts and science around Australia’s exceptional animal welfare record, this will again rattle the agriculture industry’s confidence in the Government’s policy-making process.
“Labor has promised that they won’t ban live cattle exports like they did to Aussie sheep. But I can’t imagine any cattle producers in Australia will be sleeping well at night given this news.”
The Inspector-General of Live Animal Exports was first established in 2019, and in December 2023 the role was expanded and renamed to be the Inspector-General of Animal Welfare and Live Animal Exports.
New Inspector-General Dr Katherine Clift was only appointed to a five-year role in September 2024.
“Dr Clift hasn’t even published her first review yet. “It’s beyond disappointing to see these significant policy ideas out there that will impact farmers’ livelihoods, yet their voices and the science are being sidelined in favour of a blatant inner-city vote grab.”
Stacey Davidson
Ashleigh Whittaker