Committee Details

COMMITTEE'S REPORT

The committee tabled its Report No. 23, 57th Parliament – Animal Care and Protection Amendment Bill 2022 on 1 July 2022. The Bill was passed on 2 December 2022.

About the Bill 

On 12 May 2022 the Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities introduced the Animal Care and Protection Amendment Bill 2022 into the Queensland Parliament. The Bill was referred to the State Development and Regional Industries Committee for consideration and report by 1 July 2022.  

The objective of the Bill, according to the explanatory notes, is to modernise Queensland’s animal welfare laws to reflect modern scientific knowledge, community attitudes and expectations. The Bill will also implement recommendations from the Inquiry into animal cruelty in the management of retired Thoroughbred and Standardbred horses in Queensland (Martin Inquiry) and the Queensland Audit Office’s report Regulating Animal Welfare (Report 6: 2021-22) (QAO report).

The Bill proposes to amend the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001, Veterinary Surgeons Act 1936, Racing Integrity Act 2016 and Disability Services Act 2006 to:

• Facilitate the ethical use of animals for scientific purposes while protecting their welfare
• Strengthen enforcement powers to address risks to animal welfare by clarifying or prescribing new offences
• Prohibit inhumane practices, such as the firing or blistering of the legs of dogs or horses, the use of prong collars, and the use of certain poisons on pest animals
• Create an approved accreditation scheme which will allow a non-veterinarian to perform certain procedures on cattle
• Clarify legislation and remove redundant provisions
• Implement recommendations from the Martin Inquiry, including those relating to the monitoring of livestock slaughter facilities
• Implement government-supported recommendations of the QAO report, aimed at strengthening the oversight of RSPCA inspectors.

Timeline