Years of Green Party work leads to the end of live exports

Aotearoa will finally bring an end to the live export by sea of cattle, deer, sheep and goats.

“This could not have come soon enough. Animals have been suffering in live export for years - and now, thanks to the tireless efforts of Green Party MPs, activists, advocates, the Government has responded to finally do the decent thing and bring it to an end,” says the Green Party’s animal welfare spokesperson, Chlöe Swarbrick. 

“These are massive changes and they would not have happened without the longstanding work of former Green MPs, Gareth Hughes and Mojo Mathers, both of whom fought tirelessly for Aotearoa to be a world leader in the area of animal welfare.

“I also want to acknowledge the organisations like SAFE, the activists and the advocates who have spent so long trying to draw the public's attention to the cruelty of live export - and who will continue to push us to do more. 

“While today is a day to celebrate, we shouldn’t have to wait until 2023 for an end to this practice. We also can and should have included the protection of the likes of our taonga longfin eels, but unfortunately the Government chose not to take these opportunities despite Hon. Eugenie Sage offering an Amendment to do so.

“The work to align our country’s animal welfare practices with the way we like to think about ourselves continues,” says Chlöe Swarbrick. 

Latest Animal Welfare Announcements

Story

Green Party dismayed at delay in intensive winter grazing regulations

“The Government’s decision to cave into agribusiness and delay the implementation of critical regulations on intensive winter grazing is a bad outc...
Read More

Animal Welfare

Animals are worthy of care and respect, but current rules allow animal abuse and exploitation. Aotearoa could easily have a world-leading animal w...
Read More

Policy

Animal Welfare Policy

Click here for our 2020 Election Priorities for Animal Welfare All animals have a right to a life free from cruelty. Government must be accountabl...
See More

Story

New Zealand leadership needed to protect whales

The Green Party is deeply concerned by Japan’s resumption of commercial whaling, Green Party Animal Welfare Spokesperson Gareth Hughes said today. ...
Read More

Story

Review of live animal exports needed to protect animal welfare and New Zealand’s agricultural brand

The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by Minister of Agriculture Damien O’Connor to review New Zealand’s live animal exports rules. “New Ze...
Read More

Story

Cameras on boats must be quickly scaled up: Greens

The Green Party is glad to finally see the rollout of cameras on selected fishing boats but believes it needs to be scaled-up fast. “We need camera...
Read More