MEDIA RELEASE

11 November 2010

Govt Fails To Ban Factory-Farmed Animals

Animal advocacy group SAFE says the Government should brace itself for a public backlash after National and Act both stymied a Private Member’s Bill that would have seen sow crates and battery cages banned within five years.

“The majority of New Zealanders will be appalled to know that the Government was in a position to ban cruel farming practices last night yet it deliberately stood in the way of those calling for a change and voted against Green Party MP Sue Kedgley’s Animal Welfare Amendment Bill,” says SAFE director Hans Kriek.

“Ms Kedgley gave a passionate speech about the importance of this Bill and how it would greatly improve the lives of tens of thousands, if not millions, of animals. Despite the Bill being supported by Labour, United Future, the Maori Party and the Green Party, the Government failed to see its importance and dismissed it without any serious consideration,” says Mr Kriek.

The Bill was intended to close loopholes in the Animal Welfare Act that allow the ongoing cruel confinement of millions of battery hens and tens of thousands of crated pigs. Speaker Lockwood Smith refused to allow a conscience vote, claiming that animal welfare is primarily an economic issue.

“The Government seemed too afraid to let MPs vote with their conscience on this important animal welfare issue, as if they were well aware that this Bill would have been voted through,” says Mr Kriek.

“The Government has passed up a great opportunity to improve the lives of millions of factory-farmed animals by siding with the vested interests of those wanting to continue abusing animals for profit. Eight out of ten New Zealanders want battery hen cages and sow crates banned,” says Mr Kriek.

SAFE will step up its factory farming campaign with the help of the recently established two million dollar Animal Justice Fund. A public awareness campaign will see consumers informed about the cruelty in the meat chicken, battery egg and pig farming industries.

“The public will be urged to boycott factory-farmed products as the most effective way to end this suffering,” says Mr Kriek.

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