[Greens-Media] Tas Greens_23, 000 Sign Massive Ban Battery Hen Petition_N McKim MP

[greens at parliament.tas.gov.au]

MASSIVE PETITION TO BAN BATTERY HEN FARMING

Call for Conscience Vote When Bill is Debated This Week

Nick McKim MP
Greens Leader

Monday, 20 October 2008
Contact: State Parliamentary Offices of the Tasmanian Greens, (03) 6233
8300

www.tas.greens.org.au


The Tasmanian Greens today received a petition of over 23 000 signatures
calling for battery hen farming to be banned in Tasmania, which Greens
Leader Nick McKim MP said that he believed was one of the largest ever
to be tabled in the House of Assembly

Greens Leader and Shadow Animal Welfare spokesperson, Nick McKim MP,
announced that he would bring the Animal Welfare (Ban Battery Hens)
Amendment Bill 2008 on for debate this week, which if passed would ban
battery hen farming in Tasmania.

Mr McKim also called on the Labor and Liberal parties to allow their
respective MPs a conscience vote on the Greens' Bill when debated on
Wednesday.

"The size of this petition shows that Tasmanians overwhelmingly reject
battery hen farming, and it is time for the Parliament to deliver the
change that our community is demanding," Mr McKim said.

"It is time for Tasmania to take a leadership role on this issue, and it
would be to the benefit of the broader egg-production industry in this
state if we were to go it alone in the national context."

"With links being established between unacceptable animal welfare
standards and salmonella outbreaks, a ban on battery hen farming would
deliver outcomes in human health as well as animal welfare."

"We acknowledge that the egg industry will need significant assistance
to transition out of current intensive farming methods, and we are
proposing a significant financial package to assist egg producers to do
that."  

Mr McKim said that he believed that fears of battery eggs from mainland
states flooding the Tasmanian market in the event of a ban on battery
farming in Tasmania are without foundation. 

"That argument is a knee-jerk reaction from supporters of the current
situation who cannot accept that the community is demanding change."





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