Barnett 'confident' in RSPCA
Premier Colin Barnett has hosed down calls for an inquiry into the RSPCA, declaring that he has confidence in the animal welfare regulator and thinks it does a good job.
Amid an escalating war between the RSPCA and hunting and shooting enthusiasts Agriculture Minister Ken Baston yesterday added his weight to those criticising the group.
In a speech delivered in Parliament, Mr Baston accused the RSPCA of lacking accountability and appearing to be driven by ideology rather than by “science and firm policy”.
The comments come amid a review instigated by Mr Baston last November into how the State regulates animal welfare – a review which is due to be finished in August.
They also came after calls by Upper House Shooters and Fishers MP Rick Mazza for a Parliamentary to investigate how the RSPCA uses its powers to charge people for breaches under the Animal Welfare Act and how it spends taxpayers’ money.
Tensions between the RSPCA and its critics have been growing in recent weeks after the animal welfare group launched an advertising campaign that referred to recreational shooters as trophy hunters.
The adverts sparked an angry backlash from pro-hunting groups, who bankrolled their own advertising campaign rejecting the reference and portraying their sport as a method of reducing feral animal, or “pest”, numbers.
Speaking on ABC radio this morning, Mr Barnett, who is a patron of the RPSCA, dismissed suggestions there needed to be an investigation in to the body.
“I don’t see the grounds for that,” Mr Barnett said.
“This is not a Government proposal. This is a proposal by Rick Mazza, who is a member of the Shooters and Fishers Party and he’s entitled to do that.
“So this is a parliamentary committee that’s being talked about.
“I think the RSPCA does a good job. It’s a highly respected organisation.
“It cares for abandoned and injured animals, in shelters, and Lynn and I have been supporters of that for a long time.
“However, I am aware that sometimes farmers feel threatened and even intimidated by RSPCA inspectors.
“There are some policy issues there. The RSPCA has always opposed live animal export.
“Well, I don’t agree with them on that but we agree to disagree.
“So there’s a debate in Parliament. The RSPCA does receive government funding. This Government doubled it I think. It will continue to support the work they do.
“But, you know, Parliament can debate issues. I think it is regrettable … for organisations to be running full page ads against each other. I don’t think that’s productive. I don’t think that’s good use of money.”
Mr Barnett also appeared to leave the door open to supporting a recreational hunting trial in national parks and nature reserves after an Upper House committee recommended the move.
The Premier said that while he wasn’t convinced such a trial could be done safely he was willing to listen to the arguments in favour of it, noting that introduced pests such as cats and wild pigs were a major environmental problem in WA.
Opposition Leader Mark McGowan described criticism of the RSPCA as an “outrageous attack” and politically motivated.
“The RSPCA is a respected organisation dedicated to the welfare of animals,” he said.
