June 15, 2013
The Greens have launched an attack on rodeos saying they shouldn’t be billed as “family friendly” as they’re definitely not “animal friendly”.
“To call rodeos ‘family friendly’ is an insult to human intelligence,” Queensland Greens spokesperson Andrew Bartlett said.
“Rodeos are a cruel spectator sport with animals suffering torment and many kinds of injuries. Animals have been killed or have had to be destroyed in the name of this so-called ‘entertainment’.
“Young children could become desensitised to animal cruelty if they think this is acceptable behaviour.”
Mr Bartlett, who was commenting on this weekend’s Gold Coast rodeo, said the current code of practice for rodeos was set up by pro-rodeo groups and “successive governments had turned a blind eye to breaches”.
He said rodeos, if allowed, should have:
- A qualified vet at every event to ensure the animals’ health, safety and humane treatment;
- Training and readiness of rodeo staff and volunteers for emergency events including injury of animals;
- A ban on the use of electric prods, flank straps, spurs and/or other equipment that hurts or frightens animals;
- A clearly identified “duty of care” chain of command in place for the well-being of the animals and those people should be able to be prosecuted for lack of duty of care.
Mr Bartlett accused Premier Campbell Newman of “pandering to his political cronies” in his support of rodeos.
He said Federal Labor ad also backed away from its policy of an Office of Animal Welfare by refusing to back a Private Member’s Bill moved by Greens Deputy Leader Adam Bandt.
