Wednesday, 18 June 2025

Animal welfare

Georgie PURCELL (Northern Victoria) (09:44): I rise to speak about a new report by Animal-Free Science Advocacy, Evaluating Animal Research Oversight in Australia, which shines a light on the hidden suffering of animals used in research and education. It reveals that current ethical review processes led by animal ethics committees are outdated and often fail to question whether animals should be used at all. Instead the focus remains on managing harm rather than preventing it altogether. Animals, who we of course know are sentient and are capable of pain, are routinely subject to experiments even when humane non-animal alternatives are available.

This report challenges the long-held assumption that animal research is essential and highlights what many in the scientific and medical community have been saying for decades: that animal-based research is unethical and is scientifically flawed and that we are falling behind on investment into modern alternatives.

Animals are justified as test subjects because they are considered biologically similar to humans, yet their differences are used to excuse inhumane practices and unreliable results. I want to thank Animal-Free Science Advocacy for their tireless work in challenging this status quo and setting out a clear, evidence-based pathway forward. I hope that we can all listen, because by doing so Australia can take a leadership role in compassionate, ethical research that values both human progress and the lives of animals.