13 August 2011

ACT RSPCA leading the campaign against live cattle export.

| johnboy
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This morning the RSPCA mailed this out to Canberra media:

RSPCA ACT will host the Canberra based component of the live export rally to be held tomorrow on the lawns of Parliament house.

“I am urging all Canberrans to show their support for this important issue.” CEO Michael Linke said.

“Never before has the community been so united against an issue and it would seem that our elected representatives in the most part just don’t get it.

“We need our voice to be heard and a strong showing tomorrow will certainly assist pave the way to a brighter future for all animals.”

Where: Lawns of Parliament House
When: Sunday 14 August from 11.00am to 1.00pm

One wonders to what extent this will reduce support for the RSPCA and their work here in the ACT.

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Clown Killer11:38 pm 14 Aug 11

What a cack! Nationally, a couple of thousand arse-hats get out to prove their social ineptitude and the douche-bags at the RSPCA claim this as a victory? I guess as the donations and good will evaporate they’ll get a better grip on the ‘benefits’ or otherwise of getting into bed with extremists.

The rally in Canberra today was very well-attended. I didn’t see anyone in dreadlocks, or covered in red paint. I did see some babies, a lot of little kids, a lot of uni-student-types, a lot of middle aged people, and a lot of elderly people. I also saw a great many dogs, and one lamb. Linke and the three speakers were excellent, and the crowd contributed a few booooos on queue (Meat and Livestock Australia generated a few of those). The weather co-operated, it was actually hot up there.

And although Vegetarians australia or some-such had a stall there, none of the speakers was trying to shut down the eating of meat. What everyone seemed united on was that, as a country with laws about animal protection, we cannot send live animals to countries without those laws, where we know they will be brutalised and tortured.

We also heard that the meat export trade earns Australia 20% more than the live export trade, and that live export has cost the country a large number of jobs.

I don’t know if these rallies will change anything, but if a conscience vote is allowed in Parliament on Thursday, the bills might actually get up.

This rally would be more fun if it was held on Monday 22nd.

“Never before has the community been so united against an issue and it would seem that our elected representatives in the most part just don’t get it.”

Rubbish. The community was much more united against the 2nd Iraq war. And probably even more united in its flogging of Keating (’96) and Howard (’07) at the polls.

RSPCA needs to get a grip.

The RSPCA has been heavily involved in the Live Animal Export issue, right from the get-go. In the last issue of a local NSW paper, the cover story was about Bidda Jones, who holds the office of Chief Scientist for the RSPCA, and who worked with Lyn White, the ex-policewoman who travelled to Indonesia and filmed the abuse of animals. Bidda Jones lives in Braidwood.

The story (you have to download the whole issue, it’s the first one here: http://www.palerangbulletin.com.au/back-issues/ ) consists of Ms Jones outlining how for the past year or so they have been trying to get traction on this issue, talking to Meat and Livestock australia, Livecorp, and various parliamentarians, to find out exactly what was happening to those animals. when that failed, their suspicions were aroused, and Ms Jones and Ms White together planned the expedition to Indonesia to get actual first-hand footage and intell.

The story is a good read, but also shows that the RSPCA was closely involved from the start… as I would imagine most RSPCA supporters would expect. I would be puzzled to hear that the RSPCA lost support over this… surely it would gain support?

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