The Great Australian Party believe that:
1. Animals must be recognised as sentient beings that deserve our care and respect.
2. Animals have intrinsic value, separate from the needs of humans, who have a responsibility to ensure that animals’ best interests and welfare are respected.
3. Humans have a duty of care to minimise physical and psychological suffering of animals resulting from human activity.
4. Strong animal welfare standards and laws are necessary.
5. Native animals and their habitats are at particular risk and require stringent protections.
6. Non-Government rescue, shelter and sanctuary operators deserve greater recognition, support and funding.
7. Breeding of companion animals requires improved regulation to both, social services and the numbers of breeding stock.
A strong, uniform, properly enforced national legislative framework for the protection of the welfare of animals, which ensures:
1. Makes any act of deliberate animal cruelty subject to criminal penalties; and
2. To regulate conditions for the captivity, transport and slaughter of animals.
3. There will be no exemptions to Australian animal welfare laws.
4. An end to cruel or unnecessary use of animals for teaching and research purposes.
5. The pursuit of technologies to further avoid the use of animals for teaching and research purposes.
6. The establishment of an independent national regulatory body to provide national oversight and coordination of animal welfare and awarded powers of prosecution.
7. Improved procedural guidelines to any powers provided to the RSPCA under animal welfare laws and an open-door approach to allowing submissions for the appointment of inspectors by independent shelters and sanctuary owners.
8. The consideration of Australian animal welfare standards when negotiating relevant trade agreements.
9. The most humane, effective means available to be used in the control of introduced species, including humane population management methods.
10. Community education on the needs of animals and our responsibility to minimise any physical, psychological and emotional suffering of animals caused by human activities, to maximise their quality of life.
11. To ensure education programs are in place for responsible pet ownership.
Companion Animal
Key Objectives:
1. To provide shelters with adequate funding to cater to lost and unwanted animals, with a push towards genuine “no kill” outcomes.
2. To ensure just use of any powers awarded under existing animal welfare legislation, by the implementation of procedural guidelines that ensure the best interests of the animals and their owners are the primary goal.
3. To increase deterrents for deliberate animal abuse and refine the legislation to protect both animals and their owners, with increased definition of the term “Custody and control”.
4. To increase desexing levels through government/veterinary subsidies programs and to mandate desexing at point of sale.
5. To properly regulate and temporary limit the breeding of companion animals to ensure shelters achieve no-kill status with no turn-away, then work with companion animal NGO’s on only using breeding schemes that benefit the animals involved.
6. To implement and regulate adoption procedures that will better ensure suitable human/non-human compatibility outcomes
7. To implement support programs that enable shelters to rehabilitate animals where required.
8. To repeal breed-specific legislation throughout Australia.
9. To legislate ensuring tenants cannot be discriminated against for having companion animals in their care where the property is appropriate for the animal/s involved.
10. Improved regulation to licensed and regulated breeding facilities, to lower maximum numbers of breeding stock and improve socialisation programs.
11. Create federal legislation to ensure uniformity in the application of animal welfare laws across Australia
Native Animals & Sanctuaries
Key Objectives:
1. To increase support services to rescue organisations and sanctuary’s through public funding programs and easier access to tax exemption statuses.
2. To change negative attitudes to kangaroos, wallabies and other native fauna. through widespread education about their considerable ecological benefits.
3. To reform relevant legislation, policies and the agencies that administer them to prohibit the killing or brutalising of kangaroos and wallabies.
4. To increase and enforce penalties for deliberate wildlife cruelty.
5. To encourage increased growth in and support for kangaroo friendly wildlife-based tourism in Australia.
6. To review the policies for licensing and the operational practices of wildlife caring and rehabilitation groups and individuals.
7. To ensure adequate kangaroo corridors are implemented during all relevant development projects.
8. To ensure open and compassionate debate regarding the culling of and commercial killing of Kangaroos, in line with best practices.
The Great Australian Party has expert team members that will openly work with all animal rescue organisations to ensure educated and compassionate debate in the production and implementation of all future legislative amendments.
