A right to farm

shouldn’t mean a right to harm

The current opposition to the proposed Mangrove Mountain cattle feedlot development is being boosted by the involvement of Animal Liberation, Australia’s longest running animal rights organisation.

14 June 2023

 

ANIMAL Liberation’s Regional Campaign’s Manager, Lisa Ryan, said, “our involvement shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Opposing harmful developments is just one of the many things we do, and have done for more than four decades; to ensure better outcomes for animals, the environment and local communities. We have always been at the forefront of this type of opposition.

 

“Increasingly, NSW communities approach Animal Liberation because they have been ignored by their local council, government agencies or departments, their MP or government. Where possible, we will always provide a level of support, energy and guidance, based on our experience and expertise. We frequently step up where others have failed too.

 

“We’re thrilled with the response so far and the contribution by our supporters is always very strong because they care about a range of issues across animals, the environment and people. We will certainly reach our target which is substantially more than a few hundred that was suggested by the local MP for Gosford, Liesl Tesch. We have enormous faith and confidence in the NSW public and our Animal Liberation members – they are informed and do personalise their submissions,” said Lisa Ryan.

 

“We always collaborate effectively with all key stakeholders across community concerns, including Aboriginal culture and heritage, animal welfare and biodiversity issues and general environmental issues. We look at all the risks, impacts and cumulative impacts which are always associated with all types of intensive animal agriculture. While the proposed feedlot is a local development, the inherent issues impact all NSW residents.”

 

Animal Liberation share Ms Tesch’s concerns about the local environment and their concerns extend beyond Mangrove Mountain.

 

"We were, however, disappointed that in raising some of the issues with the proposed feedlot, Ms Tesch did not refer to the public’s valid concerns about animal welfare and how we regard and treat billions of sentient animals in animal agri-businesses, Ms Ryan said.

 

"You only need to look at the largescale consequences of the ‘chicken’ industry with both broiler chicken meat and egg farms to see the havoc they have wreaked across the Central Coast and across NSW. Over 1.5 million chickens are killed every single day in Australia alone.

 

"The public oppose intensive animal agriculture and to suggest they are OK or acceptable if these industrial animal hellholes are established elsewhere, is just perpetuating these hidden and often secretive industries, and ignores the public’s animal welfare expectations.”

 

Animal Liberation also noted that Ms Tesch has raised the proposed feedlot with the Minister for Agriculture, Tara Moriarty, who is also responsible for NSW animal welfare.

 

"We would encourage Ms Tesch to also raises the water licence issue with the Minister for Water, Rose Jackson," Ms Ryan said.

 

"There is a water licence application, which is central to this planning proposal and assessment, and it should not be approved. Over the last decade we have watched with increasing concern the former state government and departments’, literally rubber stamp every water licence application, including in regions where there was a scarcity of surface and groundwater and significant environmental concerns. This has to stop – it’s not a never-ending supply.”

 

Liesl Tesch said that the community has come together united in opposition against the proposed feedlot development in Ironbark Creek.

 

"The development would house up to 400 cattle in two sheds. Opposers to the development say the development is unsustainable and unsuitable for the local community," Ms Tesch said.

 

"My attendance at the community forum provided great insight into what the residents think."

 

Lisa Ryan said that across NSW and Australia these intensive animal agri-businesses are spreading and festering across the landscape – harming millions of animals, destroying the environment and hurting rural communities in which they are situated.

 

"Our appalling animal welfare laws and inadequate planning laws are actually facilitating and fast tracking this spread and it’s time the NSW State Government listened and acted,” Ms Ryan concluded.