Animal Care Australia

[asal]

how to vote guide for Victorian elections.

 

Awesome we so need one of these for every state before its too late

 

https://www.animalcareaustralia.org.au/victorian-election-2022/?fbclid=IwAR1PB3F6dTFf3pes9hW1jxlOwk3qHhLQtB2KKbQUhuR-JUQtIGfitqjW09k

 

 

[asal]

Victorian Election 2022

Disclaimer: The information displayed on this website is the result of an independent review. Animal Care Australia is a non-partisan organisation. Animal Care Australia does not have any commercial, financial or political affiliation with any party and the ratings of organisations/political parties, does not constitute endorsement by Animal Care Australia and is not intended to imply, directly or indirectly, that those organisations and parties endorse or have any affiliation or influence with Animal Care Australia.

As we all know -  ANIMALS RIGHTS IS NOT ANIMAL WELFARE. Sadly the inclusion of the animal rights agenda in many of the policies highlights just how far they have hoodwinked the different parties and individual politicians

Note: For mobile & tablet users, this page is best viewed in ‘landscape’

 

“In contrast, an animal rights approach is based on the view that animals should not be used in any way by humans. Now, that is the Animal Justice Party’s view, and it is wrong and it is hopeless. ” Bev McArthur, Liberal Party. Legislative Council, 8th Feb 22.

So, who stood up for your animals in this last term?

How have your state representatives performed in the past 3 years? Who has not just offered promises, but actually stood up and spoken to support you and your companion animals?

Remember: Vote below the line for any chance of your votes to count.

Our Traffic Light system this year considers how often each party spoke up in parliament for (or against!) your animals.

 

How did ACA place the Parties into the traffic light system?

(Click on the images to enlarge)

 

Explanations of the line items:

Increase Shelter & Rescue Services. Why is it important?

Over the past 3 years the Labor government have made drastic changes to animal keeping laws, in favour of Animal Rights instead of Animal Welfare. This has resulted in new and bigger welfare issues, and more Victorian animals going into shelters and rescues than ever seen before. As a result, this issue was raised on many occasions in the last term, by several Parties. Supporting rescues is important and necessary, but its also a short term solution to long term problems that are not currently being addressed.

Return Microchipped pets home faster. Why is it important?

This refers to a specific bill by Independent Catherine Cumming in the Legislative Council. This reversed older legislation that did not allow veterinarians and pet industry professionals to scan a microchip and return a lost pet without handing the pet over the local council pound (and the pound charging the owner reclaim fees). Three years later, this Bill was replicated into the Veticare Bill. This was universally supported by Parliament, as it was obviously poorly thought through legislation.

Support for Working Animals. Why is it important?

Police horses and dogs, guide dogs, emotional support animals, assistance animals, therapy animals, farm dogs and horses, carriage horses, petting farm and zoo animals, performance horses, and racing animals are the Working Animals that were discussed in Parliament this last term – mostly raised by the Coalition. Working Animals are integrated into our society, perform important functions for safety, health and biosecurity and most absolutely love their jobs. Working Animals can be many people’s only experience with live animals. These animals must remain protected in society, as they open the door to igniting people’s empathy and compassion for non human animals, they can ground people in a stressful situation, and give many people a reason to keep going on their worst days.

Support for Pets under Domestic Violence & Guardianship orders. Why is it important?

It has been recognised that domestic violence often affects pets and other animals in the home, not just through direct abuse, but as a means of controlling the caregiver. Escaping domestic violence is much more difficult when pets must be left behind, because there is no where for them to go. This results in many people staying in unsafe situations for much longer than they should. Guardianship orders affect the legal status of an animal owner, and legislation was proposed to introduce steps to legally keep pets with their owners under guardianship orders.

Veterinary Industry Support Measures. Why is it important?

The veterinary industry has been doing it tough nationally, with clients who have high expectations, but often, not very deep pockets. Vets perform many services for free – such as treating injured wildlife or stray animals, and this is not usually reimbursed. The highly emotional job is seeing more people leaving the industry than joining it, putting even more pressure on those working and trying to meet the shortfall. The last term saw many measures proposed to support the veterinary industry, particularly through Victoria’s extended lock downs. Labor proposed several measures including additional funding for training new and retraining existing staff, free training for industry professionals to perform certain procedures to take pressure off vets, and free vet nursing training. Veticare was the most recent proposal by Animal Justice Party to assist the veterinary industry, and will now progress to the development stage.

Supports Professional Animal Carers. Why is it important?

Animals cost money to care for. They are not free, and animal industries employ professional, qualified people to care for their animals and meet high welfare standards. Professional Animal Carers also need money to live, and should not be expected to work for free, if we genuinely want our State’s animals cared for to the standards we set for them. The Coalition highlighted most of the issues affecting professional animal carers in this term, primarily in relation to financial support during lock down, and drought/flood assistance.

Supports Cat & Dog Containment. Why is it important?

Responsible Pet Ownership is not just feeding and cleaning up after your pet, but also includes keeping your animals contained to your own property and not being a nuisance to your neighbours, passers-by and our native wildlife. Specifically tethering of dogs and containment of cats to their owner’s property were discussed in Parliament in this last term.

Supports Responsible Breeding. Why is it important?

Responsible, ethical breeding ensures that our pets and other domestic animals are healthy and addresses hereditary conditions. In Victoria in this last term, we have seen new laws introduced that blur the line between puppy farmers and ethical breeders. They are not the same thing, operate in opposition, and have contrasting welfare standards. The Coalition and Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party were vocal in their support of ethical companion animal breeders. Greens and Animal Justice Party were very vocal in their opposition.

Improving public access for pets. Why is it important?

The Coalition and Labor both put forward initiatives to improve public access and spaces for pets. Labor loves announcing a new dog park, and the Coalition motioned changes to beach access and public rights of way to allow companion animals more access.

Count all the Animals. Why is it important?

This included several motions to count animals, from microchip registers, to brumbies, to the Pet Census. From the speeches in Parliament by almost exclusively animal rights focused Parties, ACA is concerned that the counting of animals appears to be less motivated by how the counts will improve welfare, and more about controlling the owners, and restricting who could keep animals. In 2019, Labor (supported by AJP) introduced the 5 animal limit on every Victorian household on less than 20 acres (via Planning Law amendment), to the detriment of Animal Welfare. ‘Counting the animals’ has now taken a sinister turn, and must be more carefully considered than before. Animal owners are understandably more wary.

Tougher penalties for Animal Rights Extremists. Why is it important?

Arriving en masse to someone’s home or business, ignoring biosecurity protocols, stealing animals, harassing businesses and staff, and getting a slap on the wrist in court made Victoria the joke of the Nation. There was no assurance that anyone could not turn up to any property and steal animals, especially with AJP candidates creating websites encouraging motivated activists to do exactly that. This bill did not affect genuine whistle blowers. Fortunately the Coalition, Labor Party, Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party and Reason Party voted to increase minimum penalties for Animal Rights Activists to prevent further welfare breaches. Greens, Animal Justice, and Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party opposed these measures, all citing their ongoing support for their members.

Opposed Animal Rights/Animal Protection in law. Why is it important?

Animal Rights (aka Animal Protection) IS NOT Animal Welfare. Animal Rights is not related to animal care, husbandry or animal welfare science.  It is a moral philosophy about how humans interact with animals, not about the animals themselves. Animal Rights has no place in Animal Welfare legislation. It belongs in an ethics class, and is an interesting topic of debate for academic philosophers. Keeping Animal Rights out of Animal Welfare legislation is important for Animal Welfare standards to continue to improve.

Increase Powers of Enforcement Officers without oversight. Why is it important?

Currently, Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Enforcement Officers are overseen by charitable organisations without independent oversight or accountability. Several motions were made to increase powers of Enforcement Officers without also including measures to improve oversight or accountability. Issues already exist in every state in Australia with the current arrangements and giving more power to those without transparency is not a sound solution.

Party has published an Animal Welfare Policy. Why is it important?

Few Parties have a written Animal Welfare Policy. While ACA obviously prefers a clear Party Policy on what issues the Party will address in the near future, as we can see from the results of this last term of Parliament in the chart above, many parties without a written Welfare Policy have put forward good, practical bills, like Independent, Catherine Cumming, who saw the need for who was allowed to scan micro-chipping to be reversed, and took the action required, even though it wasn’t in her policies. Having no Animal Welfare policy is okay, more often than not. We can see in our chart above how these parties engage with companion animal issues, and decide to support them based on their past performance.

Party has NO Animal Rights Policies. Why is it important?

NOT having an Animal Rights Policy is much more important than the Party not having an Animal Welfare Policy. Animal Rights in NOT Animal Welfare, and when Rights are prioritised over welfare, animals suffer. Victoria has seen many new Animal Rights laws introduced in the past 3 years. With Labor holding a minority government, it appears clear to us, many deals with the Greens Party and Animal Justice Party were secured to support their (Labor’s) less popular policies (such as extended lock downs) in exchange for replacing Animal Welfare with Animals Rights Legislation (such as the current draft Plan of the former Animal Welfare Act – now called the Animal Care and Protection Act – not only removing welfare from the name, but from the document itself). Animal Rights is not harmless – it comes at the expense of real animals, in your home, right now.  

Opposes the cap on animal ownership to a max of 5. Why is it important? This Land Use reform by the Labor Planning Minister was passed through both houses of Parliament in 2019, and clearly none of the ministers actually read it, because the issues did not become clear until Councils across the state began enforcing a that certain law.  It limited the number of animals any household on less than 20 acres could own to no more than 5, and no more than 2 of any one species. Was this another example of the back room deals a minority government is forced to make? Quite likely. Few parties have made a stance against this law. Labor has now replaced the Planning Minister twice since then, and no change has come despite requests by stakeholders to do so.  Animal Justice Party applauded the changes, and wanted assurances that these changes could not be rolled back in future. There are only two ways to correct this. One is with a change of government. The other is to ensure the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party who have an Animal Welfare Policy to amend this, and are the only Party that has publicly stated that they will address this, are returned into a position to pursue this – perhaps along with other Parties who might support such a motion.

References for the above:

Click here  https://www.animalcareaustralia.org.au/victorian-election-2022/election-references/

Preferences

Victoria still operates under a voting system where preferences deals can be made by the Parties and this opens the extreme likelihood of behind the scenes deals between many of the Parties in order to push their agendas. If you want to prevent this, do not vote above the line. Vote below the line, taking the time to number your preferences.  When you go to the ballot box, be sure to remember who did deals with who during the last term of parliament. It is likely they’ll do them again. So choose carefully.

 

 

Edited November 20, 2022 by asal

[_PL_]

Thank you asal.  Very sobering information. 

[~Anne~]

Political advertising. Be careful whose propaganda you fall for. 
 

Asal, this isn’t news. You’re using the news forum threads to push your political affiliates. 

Edited November 21, 2022 by ~Anne~

[moosmum]

Good to see how a political party claiming to represent keepers of domestic animals, is going about representing us.

There is no one else even pretending to represent us. Yes be careful of political advertising, but look at the alternatives too. This is not covered else where I've seen, and it should be be news worthy to this audience.

[asal]

16 hours ago, ~Anne~ said:

Political advertising. Be careful whose propaganda you fall for. 
 

Asal, this isn’t news. You’re using the news forum threads to push your political affiliates. 

 

 

Excuse me, considering there is NO ONE ELSE that has twigged and finally taken the trouble to enlist people to help stop the PETA EXTINCTION  agenda there are no other "political affiliates" yet, Although this one has at least gone to the trouble to find some party's not affiliated with PETA to choose from

 

get real, most of Australia has fallen for the "we have to get rid of puppy farms and backyard breeders".  Blind to the fact its only registered breeders being eliminated.

 

The legislation is still getting harsher and harsher  yet the so called targets are still untouched.

 

This is an ankc forum

 

Even the ankc has ever so slowly twigged they are not the problem.  (How slowly?  Nearly 40 years behind the eight ball now) Its been that long the ankc members and most of the Australian people have been unaware ( or too scared to say the truth) the emperor really does have no clothes!

 

the 2017 survey proved that but the lawmakers haven't ceased targeting them. The latest if it gets through, your males cannot be used for breeding after turning 7?  How insane is that? 

At least the bitches only being allowed 2 lifetime litters has been deleted this time around, But Emma Hurst will be trying to have it reinstated again some time soon.

 

 

https://ankc.org.au/media/6598/a-forensic-view-of-puppy-breeding-in-australiav4.pdf

 

 

Unless you too agree with PETA that there should be no domestic dogs and cats within this generation, better get deciding which agenda you agree with. Extinct or not?

 

Edited November 21, 2022 by asal

[asal]

13 hours ago, moosmum said:

Good to see how a political party claiming to represent keepers of domestic animals, is going about representing us.

There is no one else even pretending to represent us. Yes be careful of political advertising, but look at the alternatives too. This is not covered else where I've seen, and it should be be news worthy to this audience.

 

Its not as if we have a number of choices

 

The people of this world are not particularly bright, its sure taken way too many decades before some have decided its now or never before its too late

 

need more people getting motivated and if you dont like their agenda either join and help change or start more interest groups ...     the animal extinctors have many names and representatives running for election in addition to those already in power and busy drafting and making deals with great success

 

Edited November 21, 2022 by asal

[coneye]

Happens in all walks of life  the small minority , shout loud and long  till they convince the majority to just keep stum  or agree with them , and they do keep stum  because most people would rather walk away from confrontation , and these people know that so they just get louder , scream there right and everyone else is wrong , until people think there the majority and then just go along with it  to be part of the group and be accepted  .. Its just life . 

[stellnme]

On 21/11/2022 at 6:24 PM, ~Anne~ said:

Political advertising. Be careful whose propaganda you fall for. 
 

Asal, this isn’t news. You’re using the news forum threads to push your political affiliates. 

Quite agree.  Political views were not to be promoted on the forum as of some years back.

[asal]

1 hour ago, stellnme said:

Quite agree.  Political views were not to be promoted on the forum as of some years back.

 

 

brilliant thinking.  so moan every time harsher and harsher legislations are passed but DO NOTHING about preventing it?

 

let Peta destroy our rights to a pet?

 

22 years ago saying anything negative about the rspca here, could get you frozen from posting for a year.  ODDLY now you can, funny about that?  Although the sacred cow is still sacred to our politicians, there is an ombudsman available when targeted by telstra, the police u name it but the sacred cow?  NO avenue of appeal?

 

take them to court? even when you win you still lose everything as these people found out.

 

https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/committees/SCEI/RSPCA/Submissions/Submission_43-JA_Heath_Inland_Holdings.pdf

 

AND this was sure in the news all right!

 

 

https://www.9news.com.au/national/farmers-sue-after-rspca-cull-herd/126675ea-f46d-4ecb-80e9-8e55b3c94a0b

 

 

note they were never ordered to return the missing 185 cattle?  nor compensated for their loss???????????

"Aside from the 131 culled Murray Greys, 185 are still missing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 24, 2022 by asal

[stellnme]

27 minutes ago, asal said:

 

 

brilliant thinking.  so moan every time harsher and harsher legislations are passed but DO NOTHING about preventing it?

 

let Peta destroy our rights to a pet?

Not my rule about political posts on this forum.

[asal]

32 minutes ago, stellnme said:

Not my rule about political posts on this forum.

 

 

if you feel that strongly complain to troy to have it deleted, we dont need pets anyway according to those who are being political, getting elected to destroy your right to one.

 

so dont do a thing to defend our so call right to a pet if I am to believe your argument ?  or are u a paid up peta member ?  they sure dont want anyone affecting their campaign on track
"to extinction within this generation" as they went public on 2020 Melbourne cup week!

 

AND YES THAT WAS "IN THE NEWS"

Edited November 24, 2022 by asal

[~Anne~]

Relax asal. Just as you believe you have a right to push a political party, I feel I have the right to voice my opposition to your ongoing push for a political party you very obviously have links to. 
 

It’s nothing but propaganda, any more so than if someone who supported PETA, the Greens or even the Liberal National party were pushing the party line. 
 

Anyway, you only do more damage for the cause you support by being so aggressive and making negative assertions against those who call you to question.

[asal]

4 hours ago, ~Anne~ said:

Relax asal. Just as you believe you have a right to push a political party, I feel I have the right to voice my opposition to your ongoing push for a political party you very obviously have links to. 
 

It’s nothing but propaganda, any more so than if someone who supported PETA, the Greens or even the Liberal National party were pushing the party line. 
 

Anyway, you only do more damage for the cause you support by being so aggressive and making negative assertions against those who call you to question.

 

 

I HAVE NO such links

 

This is the ONLY group of people so far in over 22 years who have woken up to the fact that actual pet owners have no voice in parliament whatever!

 

That have actually gone to the trouble to apply for recognition and apply to stand for election

 

There is NO ONE ELSE 

 

EVERY single group supposedly representing our animals, just for nsw alone, eg PETA, Animal Justice Party, Pearson, Mark and Hurst, Emma is listed as a AJP member but has been a vocal spokesperson for PETA for decades, these people are drafting legislation with not ONE SINGLE actual person representing pet owners what so ever.  If you think this state of affairs should continue, that is your opinion.

 

Believe it or not I do not have have to share your opinion.

 

Yes I know it has been the norm for decades, anyone who does not march to the drum beat of the self appointed thought police in the ankc membership will be subject to visits from the rspca thanks to them being reported by the thought police with the object of something, anything being found to charge them with, result being the thought police will be gleefully reporting to the board this person's membership be cancelled.  Failing that enough persecution drives many to resign to escape the continued harassment.   I know the game well.

 

the pet owning people of Australia I am forced to the conclusion are the dumbest representatives of humanity possible, their animal's have more ability to recognise danger to their continued existence or right to exist.

 

 

Edited November 24, 2022 by asal

[~Anne~]

No one said you have to share anyone’s opinion but throwing barbs and getting huffy is a really poor reflection on you. 
 

I have never said what I believe in. Good grief. Stop carrying on like a fool. I don’t find your posts in this forum in the spirit of ‘news’. I believe they’re propaganda. THAT is the crux of the comments made by me, and stellnme. 
 

On another note, it’s one thing to feel passion about a topic, but another to think anyone who doesn’t gleefully pat you on the back for your thoughts are somehow the ‘dumbest representatives of humanity possible’. Seriously.  You have a way with words, that’s for sure. 
 

*edited for clarity. 

Edited November 24, 2022 by ~Anne~

[tdierikx]

To be fair @~Anne~, the original post was a link to a guide as to who in the Victorian Parliament has a record (gleaned from reading 3 years of Hansard relating to animal matters) of speaking for, against, or is neutral towards matters related to the keeping or use of animals by humans.

 

Yes, I am a member of ACA, and I can categorically state that we do not actively endorse any particular party... we simply wanted to give people a guide to their options if they were inclined to vote primarily on matters relating to the keeping or use of animals. In all honesty, the information presented there could just as easily give the animal rights types a decent guide as to who represents their interests, yes? Dog knows, there have already been a few such groups that have "borrowed" that information and used it to openly push their followers towards the parties that they prefer...

 

I can understand where @asalis coming from here... as a breeder of registered pedigreed dogs, she will be directly impacted by certain changes being put forward in our state parliament... changes that will certainly have direct negative impact on anyone who breeds registered pedigreed companion animals (primarily dogs and cats, but leaves scope for regulation changes that may include other animal types in the future). She may not have communicated that as effectively as she (or others here) would have liked, but still, she should be able to voice her concerns, yes?

 

T.

[asal]

3 hours ago, ~Anne~ said:

No one said you have to share anyone’s opinion but throwing barbs and getting huffy is a really poor reflection on you. 
 

I have never said what I believe in. Good grief. Stop carrying on like a fool. I don’t find your posts in this forum in the spirit of ‘news’. I believe they’re propaganda. THAT is the crux of the comments made by me, and stellnme. 
 

On another note, it’s one thing to feel passion about a topic, but another to think anyone who doesn’t gleefully pat you on the back for your thoughts are somehow the ‘dumbest representatives of humanity possible’. Seriously.  You have a way with words, that’s for sure. 
 

*edited for clarity. 

 

I apologise for hurting your feelings in any way.  I knew someone would be wielding the axe or knife   Your only doing your duty

 

 

I put the subject so people could be informed.

 

I have no need to be "patted on the back". I am well aware the tradition is "off with their head"...

 

 

 

I have no idea how long you have been an ankc member. I joined in 1978 and the changes to the mindset of members over those decades is not encouraging.

 

I am not alone in wondering about the IQ of the membership,  My friend who has also been a member to that time frame commented earlier this year while I was microchipping her litter, "I am beginning to think we dont belong in the ANKC any more. I have realised that  stupidity seems to be the first prerequisite now."

 

I had made no comment to that affect myself, although I have watched in dismay with her the growth of the witch hunts, the persecution of so many by the "thought police" the numbers driven out  has been a huge loss to the ANKC and the gene pool, then add the proudly dead end kennels. 

 

Ensuring even greater genetic loss.  Not to the puppy farm gene pool.  They dont care a fig about pedigree papers anyway, not that the dead ender's realise  or care..

 

A nation whose population still continues to grow yet whose ANKC membership is shrinking  annually.

 

When even a vet who hates puppy farms and unregistered breeders because he see's where the majority of his seriously health compromised patients come from  has come to the conclusion "the ANKC is becoming irrelevant, so few puppies can be sourced.  Without puppy farms and backyarders to supply pets, where else can a family find one?"

 

just the same as without people to represent pet owners and breeders forming political representatives to counteract the activities of the so called animal liberationists and welfare groups who are doing exactly that but not with the intention of either banner but the extinction of domestic dogs and cats. they have decades of brainwashing our children, now adults and to repeat the obvious since they even went public in 2020 they expect to achieve their extinction agenda "in this generation"

 

Yes I have taken the risk of sticking my head out of the safety and try to tell people what is happening.

 

Yes it is obvious this not  appreciated by yourself and yes you need to chop the poppy that had not kept its head below the reaping line.

 

 

Hopefully some will decide its not to late to try to save the right to a pet.

 

time will tell if its been left too late, wont it?

 

 

Edited November 24, 2022 by asal

[~Anne~]

@tdierikx I don’t want to sound repetitive, nor push the blatantly obvious, but this section of the forum is about “News”. 
 

asal started their first post with a ‘how to vote’ at the Vic elections. 
 

It’s not a post about news - it’s political support material. It wouldn’t matter which political party, I would point out the same thing. asal regularly pushes the same political group - apparently without any links but a seemingly firm commitment to encourage people to support them also. 
 

I wonder if I started to push the Greens and maybe how to vote to support their causes, would you view my posts through the same eyes?  
 

When I come to this part of DOL I’m expecting to read discussions generated by something in the media. I don’t expect to see a repetitive push for a political party. 

 

asal continues with making assumptions and to be blunt - tedious to read posts. Last week, people were jumping on another who writes similarly but this time because you agree with the motivation it’s somehow different? Go figure.

 

Anyway, the conversation is going around in circles and it is becoming tedious in itself. I think we all have said our bits. So, peace out and mung beans, I’m outta here.
 

 

[tdierikx]

@~Anne~, I agree with your point that this is a news forum, however, with the Victorian elections being quite prominent in the news, one could forgive @asalher posting of a link to material that is only meant to be a guide as to the various political parties' specific leanings when it comes to animal related legislation (and any changes to same).

 

As for further comment relating to pushing for a particular party... maybe not actually news... so your summation of the further commentary may be perfectly valid and reasonable in this case.

 

As I pointed out above though, ACA itself is NOT affiliated with, nor pushing FOR any particular party in this or any other election - past, present or future. The aim of the exercise is purely informational, and simply urges people to try to be more aware of what their preferred party's stance is on the area of our purview - animal welfare legislation. You may note that it does also state that people should be looking at their preferred party's other policies, and to then vote according to their overall preference in that regard.

 

T.

[_PL_]

Personally I do find it very much a political piece and could probably do with moving out of the news section. 

 

But I'm still worried at the same time and have been for a while.

Maybe it's just my imagination but I feel there's been more and more vehement animal activism over the last few years and they are influencing people, laws and parties.

Even my insta feed is disturbing and needs a bit of an unfollow spree. I found upsetting info by flicking through the news section on the Peta site yesterday trying to find the 'extinction' quote (can't find it). BTW, not recommended reading.  It's horrific.