As you may be aware, the Government has pledged to restart live animal exports. This has been met with considerable opposition from across the Mt Albert electorate and New Zealand.
I’m hosting a public meeting at the Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd in Grey Lynn to discuss the consequences of restarting live exports on 12 August at 6pm with former Trade Minister, Hon Damien O’Connor, who was the Minister when Labour introduced the ban in 2023.
I was incredibly proud of the ban, primarily because I believe that transporting live animals across the sea is cruel – animals become crowded, distressed, and seasick. It can also lead to disasters, such as in 2020 when the Gulf Livestock 1 capsized following its departure from Napier, leading to the death of 41 sailors and 5,867 cattle. Restarting live animal exports puts New Zealand’s reputation at risk.
New Zealand acknowledged in law that animals are sentient in the Animal Welfare Act 1999. This is something we can truly be proud of. It was recognised in Yuval Noah Harari’s Sapiens as world leading. This legislation has led to some very real improvements in the way we treat animals.
We recognised that the crating of pigs is cruel and unnecessary as people and organisations were able to challenge these practices under the law.
Labour has recently committed to banning greyhound racing, another practice which has been recognised as taking far too little notice of the welfare of our animals. I believe that the way we treat animals reflects our basic humanity and I want to see us preserve the ban on live exports.
Helen White's email: MtAlberteco@parliament.govt.nz
Phone 09 845 1919.
Photo: stock shot from Shutterstock.
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