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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2025-09-18 Daily Xml
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Animal Welfare Act

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:28): I seek leave to make a brief explanation prior to addressing questions to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development on the topic of the Animal Welfare Act.

Leave granted.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: A survey of members by industry body Livestock SA noted that as of 2024 85 per cent of respondents supported the use of virtual fencing, noting, and I quote Livestock SA Chair Gillian Fennell, who said:

The message from producers is clear. They want the option to use this technology, and they want it now.

Through the Animal Welfare Act review last year we received assurances from the State Government that the regulations would be amended to enable the technology to be used in our state.

Other states are getting on with it. We need to stop dragging our feet and give South Australian producers access to a technology that is already transforming livestock management across the country.

There have been years of trials on the technology. It is well proven, improves animal nutrition, farm sustainability and productivity, and at this stage any further delay is simply putting our farmers at a herd management disadvantage. The Animal Welfare Act was assented to well over six months ago, with a clear promise to industry that regulations would follow. My questions to the Minister for Primary Industries are:

1. When can industry expect those regulations to be drafted for consultation?

2. How many staff, in FTE, are working on drafting those regulations?

3. Can the minister give assurances that those regulations for the Animal Welfare Act will be tabled before the 2026 state election?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:29): I thank the honourable member for her question. I recall that when an article came out about this topic we did have a bit of a discussion in our office, because of course we were actually ahead of some of our interstate counterparts. I think it came out at about the time that New South Wales, if I remember correctly, made an announcement. That was an announcement that they were at the beginning of the process. We were already far further along the process in terms of the drafting of regulations.

The work is continuing. As the honourable member should be aware, regulations under the Animal Welfare Act fall under the purview of the Minister for Environment and Water. That particular piece of legislation is devoted to that portfolio. When I did have a briefing fairly recently, I can't recall exactly the date, it was that the work was continuing with the intention that it would be available before the end of the year. I am happy to get a further briefing from that office and bring back a response.

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