RODEOS

The Hon. C.V. SCHAEFER (15:10): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Environment and Conservation a question about rodeos.

Leave granted.

The Hon. C.V. SCHAEFER: On 16 August the minister introduced a series of quite draconian regulations regarding the sport of rodeos and the rodeo circuit in South Australia. I have a letter written by her predecessor, the Hon. John Hill, to the Festival State Rodeo Circuit which says in part:

I am writing to you as the representative of the Festival State Rodeo Circuit to advise you of recent discussions that have taken place between representatives of DEH (Department for Environment and Heritage), APRA (Australian Professional Rodeo Association) and the RSPCA concerning rodeos in South Australia.

It goes on to say that he convened a meeting, and the letter then states:

I am pleased to advise that this meeting was convened on 25 January 2006, and that the RSPCA, DEH and APRA agreed on the following statements:

Rodeos in South Australia are far more regulated than in most other states;

The NCCAW (National Consultative Committee of Animal Welfare) standards are practical and achievable and it is the responsibility of rodeo personnel to ensure that these standards are met;

Rodeo permits should be issued to the stock contractor, who is primarily responsible for the management of the livestock, rather than the organiser, who has more of an administrative role in rodeos;

Reporting to DEH's Animal Welfare Unit within 21 days of a rodeo is reasonable. This is also the case in Victoria; and

Both groups would accept that, as a condition of permit, electric prods less than 25 centimetres in length, and which can be more easily concealed, not be permitted on rodeo grounds..

All parties agreed that public confidence in required standards being met by rodeos is enhanced if RSPCA inspectors attend and verify compliance. APRA also has internal mechanisms of fines and disqualifications for personnel who do not comply with standards.

Finally, the government wishes to include the presence of a veterinarian at every event. All these conditions have been met and:

The government...will ensure that DEH, the RSPCA and APRA continue to work together to consider and implement further improvements to rodeos in South Australia.

Given that, as we all know, the minister never even contacted APRA to let it know she was introducing regulations—let alone consulted with it—my questions are:

1. Who did the minister consult with before introducing the regulations?

2. Why has the minister reversed the position of the previous minister?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Environment and Conservation, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister Assisting the Minister for Health) (15:13): I thank the honourable member for her questions. I understand that a number of the issues she has raised are matters that are before the Legislative Review Committee and also in a bill before this council, as well as in the papers before us. Nevertheless, I will make some general comments. I do not apologise for pursuing a set of regulations and legislation to protect innocent animals. We are talking about adults who get up on full-grown horses and chase little calves; they rope them, throw them to the ground and tie them up. These are grown men who perform these actions, which I have seen performed.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: It is the role of the RSPCA to provide advice in respect of protecting animal welfare, and that is what it has done. It has provided me with a series of advice—

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. Mr Ridgway will rope himself in!

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: —since I have become the minister with responsibilities in this area. I have taken a course of action, in the 15 months that I have been minister, to uphold and protect the interests of animals that are basically sport and game for a handful of people. I have made it very clear, since I became minister, that I have no intention of banning rodeos. The measures I have put in place are not about stopping or banning rodeos. I accept that for some in the community they are a very important event and they are very closely linked to some communities. I have also acknowledged in this place before that in some communities they play a very important role; for instance, funding to various sporting groups, etc. I have met with a number of these organisations. In fact, they have come to my office and put their case before me (members of the rodeo industry) in relation to discussions and considerations in response to a discussion paper that was put out very early.

Again, a wide number of stakeholders had an opportunity to respond to that and we listened to their responses and took those into consideration. The bottom line is that what we have here are particular points of view that are not shared. I have got the responsibility, as the minister responsible for animal welfare, to protect the interests, welfare and safety of animals and, therefore, I have taken a course of wide ranging actions to improve the enshrining of the code of conduct into enforceable legislation, with things like reducing the size of the electric prods that are used, particularly those that are easy to conceal. So, we have looked at issues around that and at tightening up the requirements for a vet to be on site, and I do not resile from my responsibility.

I have looked further at the issue of calf roping and have taken the advice of the RSPCA, which raised with me issues of concern for these juvenile animals. They are very young animals, they are in a state of physical under-development, and we have got grown men on grown horses chasing these small animals, frightening them, lassoing them, throwing them to the ground and then tying up their legs, for the enjoyment of the public. Well, I have drawn a line in the sand. I have taken the advice of the RSPCA and I have said no in respect of those juvenile animals, that they have to be above a certain weight to be involved in a roping event, and I do not resile from that.

I have listened to the industry concerns, I have met with members of the industry and I have listened to their concerns, but the bottom line is that I have listened to them and heard their concerns. They have even brought the ropes into my office to show me, and I have heard what they have had to say. The bottom line is, and it is very fundamental, that we disagree on this. I disagree with the industry. My role as the minister responsible for animal welfare is to protect the interests and welfare of animals, and that is exactly what I am doing.