By Giulia Prosperi-Porta and Rishika Pai -
Snapshot
- Data gathered from animal testing for new chemicals produced in, or imported to, Australia for use solely in cosmetics will not be acceptable under new legislation that takes effect in July 2020.
- The ACT may be the first Australian jurisdiction to recognise animal sentience under proposed amendments to the Animal Welfare Act 1992 (ACT).
Animal rights is an area that has historically been dismissed as unimportant, with its advocates often labelled as ‘illogical’, ‘emotional’ or ‘irrational’. However, lawmakers and the Australian public are increasingly recognising the importance of protecting the rights of animals, and listening to the voices of animal rights advocates.
The recent cosmetic testing ban on animals in Australia, the recognition of animal sentience in the ACT, the debate over live exports, and evidence of a thriving cruelty-free market highlight the growing public consciousness of animal protection as an important issue. As former High Court Judge and Voiceless patron Michael Kirby has observed: ‘There is nothing so powerful in the world as an idea whose time has come, and animal protection is just such an idea.’
