While Christopher Luxon and Chris Hipkins traded
accusations over school phone bans, unfunded promises and
trust in last night’s leaders’ debate, the Animal
Justice Party (AJP) says another question deserves political
attention: who is representing the animals New Zealanders
consider family?
From the dogs sleeping beside our
beds to the wildlife losing their habitats, AJP says animal
wellbeing belongs in the election debate.“Our companion
animals are part of our families. Their safety, access to
veterinary care and treatment under the law matter to people
every day,” says AJP Co-Leader Rob McNeil.
AJP is
campaigning for accessible veterinary care, reform of pounds
and the Dog Control Act, recognition of companion animal
bereavement, and an independent Commissioner for
Animals.
The party says the same concern must extend
beyond our homes. We face a global biodiversity crisis, with
around one million animal and plant species threatened with
extinction. Changes in land and sea use are the largest
direct driver of biodiversity decline globally, with
agricultural expansion the most widespread form of land-use
change. In Aotearoa, official environmental reporting
identifies land-use practices in agriculture, forestry and
urban development as significant contributors to declining
biodiversity and freshwater quality.
“We label
animals ‘pests’ when they interfere with production,
then give far less scrutiny to the production systems
destroying their habitats,” says Dr Lynley Tulloch, AJP
candidate for Takanini. “Introduced animals may cause
harm. That does not excuse ignoring land clearance,
agricultural pollution and the destruction of wetlands. A
credible response has to confront human activity too, while
investing in prevention and humane alternatives for non
native animals. We cannot stay trapped in a cycle of
killing.”
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AJP is also challenging Hunting and
Fishing Minister James Meager’s promotion of the National
Wild Goat Hunting Competition. Meager has publicly
encouraged participation, presenting the competition as
hunter-led conservation. “James Meager should explain why
rewarding people for killing animals is the culture he wants
government to promote,” Tulloch says.
“When
killing becomes a competition, suffering disappears behind
prizes and tallies. We should be asking what that teaches
children about empathy, responsibility and how we treat
vulnerable beings.”
AJP says conservation should be
measured by restored habitats and recovering ecosystems,
with investment in humane alternatives and action on the
causes of environmental damage.
Brian Baker, AJP
candidate for Palmerston North, says the issue reaches
beyond animal welfare. “The way we treat animals helps
shape the society we become. Protecting their habitats also
protects the water, land and ecosystems that sustain us. Our
people, our environment and our animals are
connected.”
Across the Tasman, the Animal Justice
Party already has three MPs in state parliaments: Emma Hurst
in New South Wales, Georgie Purcell in Victoria and Amanda
Dorn in Western Australia.
“New Zealand is falling
behind on dedicated political representation for animals,”
says McNeil. “Australia shows that voting for animal
justice can put representatives into Parliament. We can
build that here too. “Voting for your values is not a
wasted vote. It is how change begins. It is time to vote for
what actually matters: our people, our environment and our
animals.
“This election, party vote Animal Justice
Party.”
About the Animal Justice Party
Aotearoa NZ:
AJP is a political party dedicated to
advocating for the rights, welfare, and protection of
animals. Their mission is to create a society where animals
are treated with respect, compassion, and consideration.
Through active participation in the political landscape,
they aim to drive policy changes that reflect their
commitment to a more ethical and sustainable
future.
