Queensland residents draws to the attention of the House that there is a conflict of interest in the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Queensland (RSPCA Qld) being an enforcer of Queensland laws relating to animal cruelty and neglect whilst at the same time being a major distributor of pets in Queensland. There are insufficient safeguards in place to ensure that there is no conflict between the role of enforcer and distributor.

The RSPCA Qld operates like no other RSPCA in Australia. They are registered as a charity, however they run like a business.  The RSPCA Qld is technically accountable to the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission (ACNC), however, the ACNC cannot investigate their business-like operations. If the RSPCA Qld were set up as a business, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) could investigate their competitive behaviour towards other animal rescues and pet-related businesses.

Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to do all within its power to ensure the RSPCA Qld cannot continue to report to themselves.  They need to be recognised as a business and become accountable like any other business in Queensland.