No need for independent animal welfare office, Federal Government says

A NATIONAL independent office of animal welfare would be an unnecessary and costly new layer of bureaucracy, the Federal Government says.

Live trade: Call for oversight.

A NATIONAL independent office of animal welfare would be an unnecessary and costly new layer of bureaucracy, the Federal Government says.

And responsibility for animal welfare laws rests with state and territory and local governments, it said.

That was the Government’s response to a Greens Bill seeking to create a new animal ­welfare office within the ­Department of Agriculture.

Pressure is increasing for such an office to be considered, after a Productivity Commission draft report also suggested its establishment — but animal welfare groups are now overwhelmingly recommending that it comes under the ­Attorney-General’s Department, not agriculture.

The Greens first put forward a Bill last year for an ­independent office of animal welfare to review and monitor live exports, and report on all animal welfare policy and ­issues.

A Senate committee, mainly consisting of Labor and ­Coalition MPs, recommended the Bill be rejected — a recommendation the Federal Government supported in its official response, signed by Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce and tabled in Parliament this week.

It said an independent ­office was not necessary to ­influence animal welfare ­issues, and would result in ­“significant cost to the Commonwealth”.

“In addition to adding a layer of bureaucracy, an independent agency would require enabling legislation, relocation costs and ongoing specialist expertise,” the Government ­response read.

The Greens have indicated they will work with interested parties to redraft the Bill and get it through.

Labor — despite not supporting the Greens Bill — also backs an independent animal welfare office, making it part of its agriculture policy for the past two federal elections.

The Productivity Commission’s review of agriculture — which the Government ­requested — has indicated in its draft findings that an independent office should be created to develop nationally consistent welfare standards.

The National Farmers’ Federation supports creating ­national guidelines for consistency but does not back an ­independent office.

The Australian Veterinary Association wants a national framework that “could be overseen by an independent national committee or expert panel”.

Animal welfare groups, ­including World Animal Protection and Voiceless, say the office should have a chief executive and report to the ­Attorney-General’s Department to avoid conflicts with the Agriculture Department.