PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS (ANIMAL WELFARE) AMENDMENT BILL

Final Stages

Consideration in committee of the House of Assembly’s amendments.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: I move:

That the House of Assembly's amendments be agreed to.

Two amendments were made to the bill in this place during debate—

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Mr Chairman, I cannot hear with the Hon. Mr Wortley yapping up there. Can you please make him go outside somewhere so that we can hear?

The CHAIRMAN: Order!

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: I beg your pardon, Mr Chair; I could not hear.

The CHAIRMAN: Order! The honourable member can take a seat in the gallery.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: Two amendments were agreed to in this place during debate. The government moved a number of amendments, but the government subsequently moved two minor amendments in the House of Assembly to further clarify what was intended, and this was in turn supported in the lower house. I understand that these changes were discussed with the members who put the original amendments and they were approved. The first amendment includes clarifying training requirements and the second involves clarifying the meaning of any action required, about which an inspector must inform a person.

The Hon. C.V. SCHAEFER: The opposition supports the amendments. As I have said on a number of occasions, my colleagues and I heartily concur with some provisions of this bill. Other provisions are more about an inherent mistrust of farmers than anything to do with animal welfare, and those involved in particularly intensive animal husbandry have been shabbily treated by the government in this bill. However, there are times at the end of legislation where one can only take the briefings and advice one is given by parliamentary counsel and others in good faith, and the opposition is doing that at this time and will support the government's amendments from another place.

Motion carried.