MEDIA STATEMENT: 14 MAY 2021

Please see quotes below from Animal Justice Party MP, Emma Hurst in regards a Sydney man in the Liverpool area being arrested today for allegedly setting a six-month old puppy on fire. The puppy has been euthanised due to severe burn injuries.

What happened to this puppy is sickening and unimaginable. I am lost for words. Any person who deliberately sets a puppy on fire is a danger to other animals and our community. But because of the NSW Government’s incompetence, any case of animal cruelty going before the courts right now won’t get proper justice.

The Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall has spent the last 8 weeks sitting on his own legislation to increase penalties for animal cruelty in New South Wales, despite it having cross party support. It is unclear why the Government has failed to take action to pass their own Bill into law, and update our State’s pathetic, outdated penalties for animal abuse. Animal abusers are still facing some of the weakest penalties in Australia- just $5500 for an act of animal cruelty. This does nothing to deter abuse.

People who are violent are violent. Extensive research has shown a strong link between animal and human abuse, suggesting perpetrators commonly recommit acts of violence against humans and animals in the future. Animal cruelty is a serious, violent crime, and it must be punished accordingly. 

Following the Agriculture Minister’s inaction, I will now be moving to bring my own tougher penalties Bill to debate in the next Parliamentary sitting week, so we can ensure animals are being protected by adequate legislation in NSW.  

MEDIA CONTACT: ROSIE RAYNS, 0401 991 792