What the Australian federal election results mean for animal welfare laws
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Australia has spoken. The federal election results are in, but our mission to create better laws for animals is far from over. Cows, chickens, kangaroos and millions more Australian animals need better laws to protect them, and the actions of this government will shape their future.
Image credit: Animal Kind and Farm Transparency Project
While it can sometimes feel like one voice doesn’t make a difference, history tells a different story. Public pressure and advocacy have led to major wins for animals in Australia, including the phase out of live sheep export – which Labor has committed to deliver – and the ban on captive dolphin breeding in NSW. These victories happened because people like you spoke up and took action for animal welfare.
Before the election, over 2,000 of you called on your local Member of Parliament to prioritise animal welfare. Your efforts kept this issue on the radar for all parties and members of parliament.
Your support for our work with the Australian Alliance for Animals helped contribute to the Labor Goverment’s pre-election commitments for animals.
They have promised to enact several improvements to Australia’s animal welfare laws, including:
- Delivering the phase out of live sheep exports by 1 May 2028
- Developing an animal welfare trade policy
- Updating the ‘Australian Animal Welfare Strategy’
- Extending the ban on cruel hunting trophies that can be imported into Australia, to include more species, such as some bears, giraffe, hippopotamus and Polar bears.
Your advocacy has already set the stage for more progress. Now that Labor has been returned to office, with your support we will continue to build pressure on the Government and all parties and members of parliament to improve animal welfare laws across the country.
We will continue to update you with ways you can help give Australian animals the protection they deserve.
Together, we can make sure Australia’s animal welfare laws recognize animals as sentient beings, not commodities.
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