Kōrero with Kari Schmidt, co-author of the NZALA's latest report: Farmed Animal Welfare Law in New Zealand.

Animal Matters

The report, Farmed Animal Welfare Law in New Zealand, was commissioned by the New Zealand Animal Law Association (NZALA), with support from the New Zealand Law Foundation and Lush.

Some background to the report, in 2019 SAFE and the NZALA, filed Judicial Review Proceedings against the Government for their failure to act on the on-going use of farrowing crates.

In a judgement released last year, the High Court ruled that the Minister of Agriculture and the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC) acted illegally when they failed to phase out the use of farrowing crates for mother pigs. The traditional use of farrowing crates will now be phased out.

While preparing for that case, the NZALA found many inconsistencies between the Animal Welfare Act and subordinate legislation, like the Code of Welfare for pigs which allowed the use of farrowing crates. That prompted them to commission this report.