Wednesday, 31 May 2023

 Georgie PURCELL (Northern Victoria) (12:10): (163) My question is for the Minister for Agriculture. Cage, barn and even free-range egg producers are deliberately causing stress to hens to induce what is known to the industry as forced moulting. The process involves severely limiting food and water and deprivation of sunlight for up to three weeks. Forced moulting intentionally deprives hens of essential nutrients and literally tricks them into thinking it is winter, when food availability would naturally be scarce. It shocks them into losing their feathers and, in the interests of farmers, laying more eggs. This process is repeated again and again without a day of reprieve. The consumer demand for eggs all year round means factory farms continue to exploit natural processes at the expense of welfare. It is entirely legal. Will the minister ensure forced moulting is banned as part of the new animal welfare legislation in Victoria?

 Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education, Minister for Agriculture) (12:11): Thank you, Ms Purcell, for your question. I note that many of the questions that you raise with me are about issues in terms of animal welfare, and essentially the answer is the same each time regardless of the type of animal that you raise. That is that essentially this government is absolutely concerned about animal welfare issues, and we have proven that in terms of budget allocations over the years and indeed a whole range of other things as well. You are well aware of that, Ms Purcell.

The fact of the matter is that obviously we are incredibly concerned and we are doing a number of things and have done a number of things in terms of animal welfare, something that other governments just have not done. Indeed the previous federal government walked away from animal welfare issues and disbanded the committee as well. It was interesting to see in the most recent federal budget a commitment from a more grown-up federal government to have much more dialogue in terms of animal welfare. But not only that, they are looking at legislation. So we are looking forward to having that dialogue with the federal government. Of course we are also wanting to have, as much as we can, commonality across all the jurisdictions, whether it be the states, the Commonwealth or indeed the territories, and we will continue to do that.

As you are well aware, we are also undertaking a range of consultations in relation to new animal welfare legislation, and there will be an exposure draft that will be circulated later on this year. We will continue to have that conversation that will lead us to more modernised animal welfare laws in this state, and we are very much wanting to have conversations with everyone. We also need to make sure that we get it right in terms of animal welfare issues that are obviously put forward by a number of community groups. But we need to balance that with food production, and we need to listen to our farmers as well. Most of them actually do treat their animals really well because they know it is important not just for the values associated with the care of animals but also in terms of the market and consumers. Consumers are becoming more educated about the importance of eating produce that has been treated well. So we look forward to the conversations and the ongoing work that we are undertaking.

 Georgie PURCELL (Northern Victoria) (12:14): Thank you, Minister, for your response. Chickens bred for meat are genetically selected for increased appetite and consistently overfed until their breast meat muscle is so large they can barely stand or walk. The process is designed to happen so quickly that the industry risks birds dying from stress or organ failure before their breeding or slaughter date. To compensate, parent birds are starved once they reach their goal weight in the last weeks of their lives. An independent review into farmed bird welfare found that chickens being denied food is particularly cruel when it is the very thing that they have been genetically bred to do. Can the minister advise if broilers continue to be starved in Victoria following the Victorian government’s farmed birds welfare review?

 Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education, Minister for Agriculture) (12:15): I thank Ms Purcell for her supplementary question and her care and concern in relation to meat chickens in this case. Can I indicate to her – and I am sure she absolutely knows this – that force-feeding is prohibited in this state, and again, if she believes it is happening, then I would ask her to actually record it so that there can be an investigation from PrimeSafe.