Background Information

The state and territory governments are responsible for the regulation of animal welfare in Australia through the application of prevention of cruelty to animal's legislation.  The Australian Government has animal welfare responsibilities for export abattoirs and the live animal export trade.

One of the key objectives of the Australian Animal Welfare Strategy (AWWS) is to facilitate improved consistency of legislation across states and territories for improved and sustainable animal welfare outcomes. Given that priority, in 2005 a review was conducted of the system for Codes of Practice for the Welfare of Animals.  These Codes are implemented to differing levels of state and territory legislation and have largely served as (voluntary) guides for people responsible for the welfare and husbandry of a range of animals.  As a result of the review,  it was recommended that the Codes be converted into Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines.  This conversion process involves a range of stakeholders, including relevant state and territory government agencies, the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), representatives from livestock industry sectors, and welfare and research organisations.  Animal Health Australia (AHA) has been commissioned by DAFF to manage the conversion of the Codes of Practice into Standards.

The first Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines to be developed will be applied to livestock being transported by land.  The new Land Transport Standards combines seven Models Codes of Practice and provisions on livestock transport appearing in 13 other Codes.  The Land Transport Standards cover the process of land transport of livestock by road or rail.  From an animal welfare perspective, this process commences at the time that animals are first deprived of feed and water prior to loading to the time that livestock have access to water (with the exception of day old chicks and poultry sent for processing) at the completion of the journey (destination) and includes:

• mustering and assembly;

• handling and waiting periods prior to loading;

• loading, journey duration, travel conditions, spelling periods;

• unloading and holding time.

These Land Transport Standards apply to all people responsible for the care and management of livestock that are transported throughout the entire process including agents, transport operators and people on farms, at depots, sale yards, feedlots and processing plants.  These Land Transport Standards apply to the major commercial livestock species; cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, poultry (broilers, layers, turkeys, ducks, geese), ratites (emus and ostrich), buffalo, deer, camels, alpacas and horses (including horses used for sport and recreation).

Each chapter in the Land Transport Standards contains:

• Objectives – these are the intended outcome(s) for each section of the standards

• Standards – these are the minimum requirements that must be met under animal welfare law

• Guidelines – these are the recommended practices to achieve desirable animal welfare outcomes; they are used for guidance and describe higher animal welfare outcomes compared to the minimum requirements of the Standards.

The Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS)

A key aspect of creating new Animal Welfare Standards is to identify the costs and benefits that they will have for a wide range of stakeholders. This is typically done by preparing a Regulatory Impact Statements (RIS).

A RIS is a required document prepared by the department, agency, statutory authority or board responsible for a regulatory proposal (in this case the Draft Land Transport Standards) following consultation with affected parties.  The RIS formalises and documents how authorities have assessed the costs and benefits for the community of the possible changes to an existing (or for a new) regulation and includes recommendations for the most effective and efficient option.

Authorities are required to conduct public consultation in order to seek feedback and determine what degree of support there is for the RIS.  When the RIS is assessed, it must include a consultation statement that shows how consultation was undertaken, who was consulted and a summary of their views, and that those views were considered.

Click here to download the summary of the RIS.