The ACT government is set to ban sow stalls and battery eggs, under the most far-reaching legislation in the country. The laws are expected to pass next week, and Greens MLA Shane Rattenbury said Canberra was leading the way nationally.
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There are no piggeries in Canberra - the closest is in Murrumbateman - and with the end of egg farming at Parkwood in 2012, there is no longer a caged-hen business either. But Mr Rattenbury said the legislation would ensure no such operations could set up shop in the territory, this would set an example for other states and territories.
The ban was one of the deal-making issues for Mr Rattenbury when he became a minister in the Gallagher government, and it will bring to an end many years of debate. He said the Greens had tried five times to ban battery cages, each time rejected by Labor and Liberals, which were reluctant to move against the Parkwood farm.
Labor has now agreed to back the ban, ensuring it will be enacted. But the Liberals would not say on Thursday how they would vote. The issue will go to their party room next week. Deputy Liberal leader Alistair Coe said the legislation was unnecessary because the ACT had no farms to which it would apply. The government's agenda had been captured by the lone Green, he said.
Mr Rattenbury's legislation imposes fines of up to $7000 for an individual or $35,000 for a corporation for keeping hens in battery cages - defined as cages that do not allow the hens to fully stretch, perch, access litter and lay eggs in a nest. It does not apply to backyard chicken owners who use the eggs for their own consumption.
It also outlaws the practice of trimming or removing chickens' beaks.
The same fines apply to people keeping pigs in sow stalls and farrowing crates (used while pigs are pregnant and after they give birth). The legislation says pigs must be kept in appropriate accommodation - able to turn around and stand up without difficulty, have a clean and comfortable place to lie down, have access to the outdoors, and see any other pigs. The fines are the same as for battery cages and beak trimming.
Mr Rattenbury said the law, which he expects to pass on Tuesday, would mean that ''anybody who does want to come to the ACT and start producing either eggs or pork is very clear about the expectations of this community''.
''It's the culmination of many years of work that sets the ACT at a high benchmark. This legislation is very clear - you can still produce eggs and pork in the ACT but you need to do it in a way that is humane … Hopefully we can encourage the rest of the country to start to follow suit.''
Tasmania moved to ban sow stalls and battery eggs at the end of last year. The battery hen ban applies to new operators and the sow stall ban is to be phased in over three years.
Animals Australia welcomed the move, campaign director Lyn White saying it set a significant precedent for other states to follow.
