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Govt failing to address animal suffering at rodeo
Animals will continue to be subjected to unnecessary pain and distress because the Government has refused to take serious action to address cruelty in rodeo, the Green Party said today. Almost 63,000 New Zealanders signed a petition asking for rodeo to be banned, but the Primary Production Select Committee, which is led by Government MPs and has just released its final report into the issue, has been largely unresponsive to those concerns. “Rodeo is both outdated and cruel – it’s... -
Why so secret on palm oil, Minister?
The Minister for Food Safety needs to tell the public whether she will vote for mandatory palm oil labelling at next month’s Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation meeting. Green Party animal welfare spokesperson Mojo Mathers has been campaigning on mandatory labelling of palm oil since 2013. Wellington Zoo and Unmask Palm Oil reiterated the call this weekend for clarity on the Government’s position. “There is absolutely no reason why the Minister should be withholding from New Zealanders... -
Throwing and dragging of calves has to end
The Government must give the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) more inspectors, resources and independence so it can do its job, the Green Party said today after tonight’s release of new footage of the mistreatment of bobby calves. Farmwatch has just released footage on Checkpoint of bobby calves being dragged by their limbs and thrown into the back of trucks in Taranaki and Waikato. This follows last year’s release of shocking footage that resulted in the conviction of a meat worker... -
MPI failing our animals and damaging our reputation
Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy must immediately investigate the way in which the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has been enforcing animal welfare standards in our dairy industry, the Green Party said today. The call comes after TV One’s Sunday programme revealed shocking footage of animals being severely mistreated on a farm and in a slaughterhouse, which MPI has yet to act on. “Like many New Zealanders, I am absolutely sickened by what happened to those animals,” said Green Party... -
Green MP scoops top international prize
Green Party MP and animal welfare spokesperson Mojo Mathers is proud and honoured to be one of this year’s recipients of the prestigious Lush Prize. The Lush Prize, which is funded by international cosmetics company Lush, recognises people working to end chemical testing on animals. The winners were chosen by an international panel of experts from 51 shortlisted science teams, organisations and individual researchers, with Ms Mathers being recognised for her work in leading the campaign to end the testing...