The Murray Darling Basin in Australia is reportedly relied upon by 2.6 million people and contributes 24 billion dollars to the economy. The Murray Darling Basin is also a depleting water resource resulting in animals dying, farmers going out of business, and whole communities under threat of having to move. It’s been described, and long recognised, as an environmental disaster.
The conflicts of interest between Australian States and Territories regarding the Murray Darling Basin was referred to in a recent meeting as an example of “the tragedy of the commons in...more >>
A recent media release stated: "Under the proposed laws the ACT would become the first jurisdiction in the country to recognise animals as "sentient...". The ACT has reportedly furthered it's intention to see animals legislatively recognised as sentient. But how is "sentience" being defined?
The same media article defined it this way:"Under the proposed laws the ACT would become the first jurisdiction in the country to recognise animals as "sentient beings" — the idea that animals are able to feel and perceive the world...more >>
Aussie Farms is a registered charity that has a website showing the location of hundreds farms and abattoirs. The website shows the location of hundreds of farms and abattoirs, and encourages people to upload photos or videos of animal exploitation in a bid to influence consumer choices.
What are your thoughts so far? From a legal perspective, isn’t that just freedom of speech? The question is, at what point do those sorts of activities breach privacy and raise concerns for politicians and lawyers involved in issues of public law and charitable status of organisations?
...more >>
It sounds good, doesn't it. Animal welfare has recently been included in Europe's Common Agricultural Policy’s ‘eco-scheme’ incentive programme. A recent amendment enables good animal welfare practices in the food chain; and the eco-schemes incentive programme will now encourage farmers who want to receive CAP subsidies to go beyond legal standards when it comes to the treatment of animals on their farms.
So why should animal advocates be disappointed?
Advocates are reportedly disappointed over missed opportunities to fundamentally reform the one...more >>
Plastic pollution is emerging as a top threat to ocean ecosystems. By 2025, it’s been estimated that there could be 1 ton of plastic for every 3 tons of fish in the ocean. Plastic debris affects nearly 700 species worldwide through entanglement and ingestion, alters natural biological and chemical processes, and provides a means for the introduction of toxins into the food web costing national economies millions each year. The majority of this debris comes from land-based sources (e.g., plastic manufacturers, processors, landfills, sewage overflows, litter).
As the issue of...more >>