Many of us were horrified at the recent footage of pigs in sow crates shown on TVNZ. A day or two later, MAF visited the farm in question. The Levin farmer declared he’d been given the all clear. Not necessarily so, it seems from this morning’s Primary Production select committee. MAF officials said they will in the next few days issue their decision on that issue. Meantime, Agriculture Minister David Carter said he is hoping that NAWAC (national animal welfare committee) will by year’s end issue a review of welfare codes. I put to him that it may not be helpful for MAF’s chief vet Dr Peter O’Hara to continue to chair NAWAC after he’d appeared on TVNZ saying there was no evidence of the Levin farm’s pigs being in distress. Mr Carter didn’t seem to see any issue here…
It’s great to hear that you’re horrified, and have been talking about it at Select Committee. It does raise the question tho, what concrete steps is Labour planning to take to end the suffering of battery chickens and intensively farmed pigs?
I know it’s churlish to say “Labour was in power for the last nine years”, but this is one issue where it’s totally justified. This issue has been well known for decades, it was appalling the whole time, the governments’ inaction has been sickening the whole time.
It’s great you’ve arrived on this one, but what are you actually going to do?
I’ll echo what Anita said. I doubt we’ll see it while Anderton does the talking, but I’d love to be surprised.
Another lefty here adding to what Anita and George have said!
Labour’s inaction on these issues in the last 9 years was pretty disgraceful in my opinion.
Another lefty here saying yeah, what are you actually going to do??
Anderton should have been left out to hang – his role in protecting fisherfolk over the loss of Hector dolphins is pretty criminal in my book.
Those cruel methods of pig farming have to go! It just sickens me. Good on Mike King for stepping up and bringing this to the country’s attention.
Need a member’s bill on the issue?
Hmmm, good to see something being said from Labour on this. Very interesting that you managed to write a post on this when Labour doesn’t even have an issue on this. May I suggest a policy be formed?
Is Labour opposed to sow crates? How about farrowing crates and fattening pens? Should we be farming pigs outdoors?
Can you tell us one way or the other?
Idiot/Savant I have a members bill written, just need a friendly Labour MP to agree to put it in the ballot. Know anyone who might be interested?
I/S,
A fix to Part 5 of the Animal Welfare Act should do most of it, and it looks like simple changes.
Anita, yep I think a very minor amendment to section 73 of the Animal Welfare Act is all that is required. Email me if you want further details.
Hey, section 70 of the Animal Welfare Act!! The Labour Party could actually create a draft welfare code. That would send an awesome message to inhumane farmers about what to expect as soon as the government changes.
That also would be good, but NAWAC and then the Minister have to agree to it. The problem is that technically sow crates are already illegal, however a loophole in the AWA allows codes to be written that don’t meet the requirements of the AWA.
Yeah, tho creating a better draft code would put a Labour stake in the ground, and possibly shame NAWAC and National into doing something.
Agreed, I would totally back Labour drafting their own code. However I do think a legislative change is needed to fix the loopholes in the AWA that allow codes to breach it indefinitely in “exceptional circumstances”. They are using this to get away with battery cages and sow crates.
“Idiot/Savant I have a members bill written, just need a friendly Labour MP to agree to put it in the ballot. Know anyone who might be interested?”
Hopefully Brendon Burns?
@anita: “That would send an awesome message to inhumane farmers about what to expect as soon as the government changes.”
Would you prefer something done sooner – it could be a long, long time before we see labour back again.
So – How many labour MP’s eat non-farm raised bacon?
“Would you prefer something done sooner – it could be a long, long time before we see labour back again.”
I seem to remember something, as if in a dream, a constant susurration on a theme. A voice from the wilderness, harking no change but of style, We are no threat and we are not arrogant, just like them but we are not arrogant, centrist and warm and we are not arrogant, not arrogant, not. arrogant.
There’s this thing. In bible study. I’ve lost the word for it, but it’s about prophecy not so much being prediction but more just noticing themes. History doesn’t repeat but it rhymes, and if some of the stanzas don’t scan or the truths get made up then that’s cool. Like Dr Seuss. Things get messed up fast and you need the pictures to make it sensical.
The last National government nearly got kicked out after one term. Wouldn’t survive that again now, what with the saving grace being couped. They had promised they weren’t like the ousted Labour government in one important respect. The people then perceived that to be a lie. Because it was.
You can look at the polls of course, and smile. Portents are good, the entrails are falling in accordance.
Polls are funny though. Sometimes people can’t be bothered doing them. Because we only just voted. Those that can be bothered, do so because they have set views. Or are not really answering the question asked, but rather answering other, more personal questions, and reaffirming that yes, I voted like this, and no I was not wrong, yet, and yet.
I never expect to see the polls change for a year or more after a voting. It’s when folks are thinking about the next election rather than the last that polls move. They think about what they was promised, and remember them lines.
Yeah, so that was way off topic.
On Topic: What Anita, George, jarbury, Chris, Spud, Rochelle, and I/S said.
As per. When you take a public stand it helps to have the policy to back up the talk. The last opposition didn’t realise this very important fact and it’s causing them some serious problems now they are in government.
“So – How many labour MP’s eat non-farm raised bacon?”
As opposed to Urban bacon from apartments and townhouses?
Oh, and to back up what the others have been saying here, John Campbell pointed out that he had aired footage of the same pig farm about three years ago – where was the horrified reaction and subsequent action then?
What I would really appreciate is an explanation for Labour’s policy at the time – I am sure that some people might not be happy with it (that is because I am assuming there is a use of economic justifications) but it would go a long way to lending credibility to a push from Labour now on the matter.
Bump!
How’re you going coming up with an actual plan of action?
No answer then?
Feel good rhetoric, but no courage to even stand up here and give a response? If you can’t even answer your lowly blog-critics, why on earth would we have faith that you’re going to stand up and do anything about this issue?
(ps., the people of NZ strongly support this, across multiple opinion polls – you have (and had) what is known as a mandate)
Might be that other Labour MPs are onto this but I am happy to receive suggestions on amending legislation and have a look.
And, btw, MPs are eating free range pork (and chicken.) I asked a question of Bellamys months ago and they have assured me, via their suppliers, that no sow-crate pork is used, none imported and all free range.
Brendon, The fact that Bellamys serves free range pork is not what I was really asking.
My question is do all the Labour MP’s make a decision to do this in their own shopping (with their own money).
If they do for moral reasons – why did they leave situations like this when they were in power for 9 years?
Why just the concern now?
Have you talked to your agriculture spokesperson about this?
No need George – It was a simple question. Still waiting for a answer tho’
Brendon,
If you’re on the primary production select committee, which Labour MP would be onto this if you’re not? It sounds very much like you took the opportunity to have a dig at National, but have actually got no more intention of doing anything about this than the Nats.
Have you got Rochelle’s draft bill? If not I’ll make sure you get a copy, it looks like it’s be pretty simple to fix the Animal Welfare Act, which would be a big step forward.
“And, btw, MPs are eating free range pork (and chicken.) I asked a question of Bellamys months ago and they have assured me, via their suppliers, that no sow-crate pork is used, none imported and all free range.”
I guess considering Bellamys is tax-payer subsidised that is appropriate. I think the impetus for change is going to be demand driven (that is, what consumers are prepared to pay for free range) and my question here is should the Bellamys model be introduced across the board (subsidies for free-range produce) or perhaps a revenue gathering model (a punitive tax on non free-range). Or perhaps simply legislate against the production and sale of non-free range produce and let producers and consumers bear the costs of change?
[...] On Thursday last week Brendon Burns, a Labour MP on the primary production select committee, posted on Red Alert about pig farming. More precisely he said he was horrified by sow crates, and he’d had a little dig at the [...]