Feds animal welfare spokesman Miles Anderson says he fears the proposal to appoint an animals commissioner is a ‘knee-jerk’ reaction and the money spent on adding more layers of bureaucracy to our animal welfare regime would be better spent on addressing our horrific statistics on children.
The framework signals the creation of “an independent future-thinking voice on animal welfare, more inclusive decision-making and a strengthened, more effectively monitored code of welfare system”, says Whaitiri.
“We are also prioritising the lifting of expectations of achieving animal welfare outcomes and developing the skills of those at the coal-face of this issue, including for those working with our nation’s animals.
“With modern consumers more discerning, I want to ensure these strong outcomes contribute to New Zealand keeping its competitive advantage as a safe food producer.
“Once the future direction of this framework is complete, I will seek Cabinet approval as part of our commitment to improving animal welfare outcomes across the board.”
