Cosmetics tested on animals to be banned in Australia

THOUSANDS of cosmetics, including perfume, toothpaste and makeup, will be banned from stores after the Federal Government pledged to outlaw the sale of all products tested on animals.

The reform will bring Australia into line with laws in the European Union and in New Zealand.

THOUSANDS of cosmetics, including perfume, toothpaste and makeup, will be banned from stores after the Federal Government pledged to outlaw the sale of all products tested on animals.

From July next year any products that have been tested on animals, or which contain ingredients that have been tested on animals, will be prohibited.

This reform will bring Australia’s laws into line with laws in the European Union and in New Zealand.

But existing products won’t be pulled from shelves. The strict laws will apply only to new products.

The law will still allow “responsible animal testing” for medical tests and for drug development.

The Coalition hopes the move will see all products tested on animals, phased out of the local marketplace.

The RSPCA says major beauty brands including Estée Lauder, Johnson & Johnson, Revlon and Colgate are all involved in animal testing, with more than 27,000 animals — mainly rodents, rabbits and guinea pigs — still subjected to cosmetics testing.

The animal welfare group has long pushed for the change and says there are more than 20,000 safe chemical ingredients already available to manufacturers.

Labor has previously promised to introduce a similar ban if it wins the July 2 poll.

Assistant Health Minister Ken Wyatt will today unveil the Coalition’s policy in Melbourne and said the practice is “unethical, unnecessary, of highly questionable value and should stop”.

Rodents are mainly used in testing according to the RSPCA.

“We no longer need to test cosmetics on animals and many countries, including the European Union, have banned the use of cosmetic ingredients tested on animals,” Mr Wyatt said.

Mr Wyatt will make the announcement in the marginal Liberal-held seat of La Trobe (4.1 per cent) held by animal-loving MP Jason Wood who last year received an award from the International Fund for Animal Welfare for his work.

He said the announcement was a positive step for consumers and animals.

“Testing the ingredients of cosmetics on living creatures is a completely unnecessary cruelty and it’s time Australia joined a growing number of communities by banning it,” he said.

Mr Wood successfully fought to ban trophy hunters from bringing lion and rhino parts into Australia and previously put a motion to end animal testing, backed by Labor and the Greens.

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