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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 6 Hansard (21 May) . . Page.. 1567 ..

MR WHITECROSS (Leader of the Opposition) (4.53): Mr Speaker, I rise briefly to address the poultry code of conduct. The new poultry code of conduct makes what can generously be described as modest improvements in the welfare of chickens, but only modest. For instance, some battery cage farmers might find that they can squeeze only three chickens into a cage instead of four and - - -

Ms Horodny: Only if they are heavy enough, which they are not.

MR WHITECROSS: I understand that, Ms Horodny. Nevertheless, as I said, they can only be described as modest improvements. This issue is perhaps not the most pressing issue in the minds of lots of members and, on a day when we have been debating the Government's handling of the budget of the health portfolio, perhaps seems like a bit of a letdown; but the issue does go to some questions about our basic humanity.

As Ms Horodny said, concern about battery farming of hens is expressed by such mainstream conservative organisations in this field as RSPCA Australia. RSPCA Australia puts it rather well when it talks about the general issue of the humane treatment of animals. In quoting what it says, I will use inclusive language in place of words such as "man". It says:

RSPCA Australia believes that humans must treat animals humanely. Where people make use of animals or interfere with their habitat, they should bestow a level of care befitting humanity's own dignity as rational, intelligent, compassionate beings and a level of care merited by the nature of the animal as a sentient creature capable of responding to human care and attention. Such care should be marked by sympathy, consideration, compassion and tenderness towards the animals.

RSPCA Australia believes that national and international adoption of set minimum standards of treatment and husbandry, and the observance of the following points, will enable all species of animals to live according to their own behavioural needs as provided by a compassionate and responsible community.

I will mention only a couple of these points. It says:

Animals have an intrinsic value of their own and, accordingly, must be considered to possess the right to live in a way which enables them to have a positive life and to develop and enjoy their inherent qualities.

It also says:

No animal should be used for the production of food ... in any way [which] may cause suffering, injury or distress.

Mr Speaker, it is because of those basic urges in us all as human beings that we get the kinds of reported figures that Ms Horodny referred to, which showed that two-thirds of people feel that battery farming is not an acceptable practice because it radically interferes with the nature of the animals that are being kept, in that it denies them the right to perch, which is a natural instinct. It denies them the right to nest, which is a natural instinct.

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