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Big Fights, Tough Outcomes, But Still Moving Forward
This month, our MP Georgie Purcell has yet again proven that we're the hardest-working Party in the Victorian Parliament.
She's taken action on some of the biggest issues affecting animals in Victoria, refusing to back down despite being a sole voice for animals in Parliament.
While we haven’t always achieved the outcomes we fought for, like stopping the government’s dangerous hunting super agency, Georgie’s work remains essential. Having an Animal Justice Party MP in Parliament is the only way that harmful decisions can be challenged, cruelty can be exposed, and the government can be held to account.
Read on to learn more about Georgie’s work this month.
Government Hunting Super Agency Update
In a devastating blow for animals and wildlife, the Victorian Government has pushed through its dangerous hunting 'super agency'.
The new authority, now called Fishing, Hunting and Outdoor Victoria, will merge the Game Management Authority and Victorian Fisheries Authority, creating an agency responsible for both regulating and promoting hunting. This glaring conflict of interest comes despite serious concerns about the Game Management Authority’s culture, conduct and failure to protect wildlife.
Georgie fought the Bill at every stage, moving for an inquiry, attempting to have it withdrawn and pushing debate late into the night. With a new Premier, there was hope the government might reconsider, but Labor ultimately joined the Liberals, Nationals, One Nation and Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party to pass this Bill.
“An agency responsible for regulating hunting should never be responsible for promoting it too. It is a grave conflict of interest and animals will pay the price.” – Georgie Purcell
We are incredibly grateful to everyone who contacted their MPs, shared information and supported the campaign against this dangerous legislation. While this was not the outcome we fought for, we will not give up.
This vote shows exactly why we need more voices like Georgie's in Parliament. When almost all other parties found common ground to hand more power to the hunting lobby, Georgie was the one voice in that chamber who couldn't be bargained away – which is exactly what's at stake this election.
Leading the Fight for Stronger Animal Protection LawsGeorgie led a debate in Parliament, bringing forward a petition with over 10,000 signatures calling on the government to honour its decade-old promise to fix Victoria’s broken animal protection laws. A new Animal Care and Protection Bill has already been drafted and is ready to replace the nearly 40-year-old Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. But earlier this year, former Premier Jacinta Allan shelved the Bill and refused to commit to delivering these long-overdue reforms. |
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By bringing the petition before Parliament, Georgie forced the government to respond and put the Bill back on the political agenda. Under the new Premier, the door to reform is open, but there is only a few parliamentary sitting weeks left before the election.
We are pushing hard to get this Bill introduced for Millie, the Mt Eliza horses and every animal failed by Victoria’s outdated laws. Now we need your help. Please see the Take Action section below and email your local MP today.
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Making Vet Care More AccessibleGeorgie passed a motion calling for electronic prescriptions to be introduced across Victoria’s veterinary industry. This simple change would help animals receive medication sooner, lower costs and reduce unnecessary travel, particularly in regional areas where veterinary services are limited. It would also ease the administrative burden on Victoria’s already stretched veterinary sector. The Parliament unanimously agreed to begin the process. As the reform does not require new legislation, Georgie is pushing to get this work done before the election. |
Fighting to Keep Greyhound Racing in the Public Eye
Georgie regularly uses Freedom of Information requests to expose what happens behind the closed doors of Victoria’s greyhound racing industry. But a new Bill before Parliament could take that vital tool away.
The Bill would turn Greyhound Racing Victoria from a statutory authority into a public company. Unless protections are written into the legislation, Greyhound Racing Victoria could fall outside Freedom of Information laws and no longer be required to table its injury and death reports in Parliament.
This year alone, more than 1,700 greyhounds have been injured on Victorian tracks and 21 on track deaths have been recorded. An industry with this record cannot be allowed to operate with even less scrutiny.
Georgie will move amendments in the chamber, and push for firm protections to ensure the so-called sport of greyhound racing remains accountable to Parliament and the public.
Protecting Native Ducks from Bird FluH5N1 bird flu has now been detected in wild birds along Victoria's southwest coast, with cases confirmed in greater crested terns at Yambuk, Apollo Bay, Clyde, Portland and Nelson – making Victoria the first state to order poultry producers to lock their birds indoors as a precaution. If the government considers the risk serious enough to shut farmed birds away from wildlife, the same logic applies on our wetlands, where native duck populations have already dropped by almost half in the past year due to drought, on top of decades of habitat loss. Sending shooters out onto those wetlands during a bird flu outbreak risks disturbing and scattering infected birds even further, spreading the virus to the same vulnerable species already struggling to survive. That's why Georgie is calling on the government to suspend duck shooting immediately. Because you can't claim to be protecting Victoria's birds from bird flu while allowing them to be shot out of the sky. |
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Alongside everything above, Georgie has continued standing up for those who are otherwise overlooked in Parliament, including:
- Kangaroo mobs threatened by development in the Levana Valley.
- Wildlife being let down by the government's failure to update the Victorian Wildlife Act.
- Women impacted by the culture of sexism and misogyny in the AFL and sporting clubs.
- Koalas at risk of roadstrike in the upcoming breeding season.
- Concerned Nannas campaigning for the hospital that Wodonga and Albury deserves.
- Chickens used in hatching programs in Victorian schools.
... And so much more.
We Haven't Given up on the Animal Care and Protection Bill
You might remember Millie. Her story sparked outrage Australia-wide.
Millie was a Maltese Shih Tzu who was trapped and repeatedly beaten with a pole by a man living next door. She suffered a painful and prolonged death, her body never seen again. The attacker faced no jail time.
Thousands followed Millie's story, and saw first-hand how badly Victoria's outdated laws are failing animals.
Our current animal welfare legislation is 40 years old. New laws have been written which would afford animals the legal protections they desperately deserve: the Animal Care and Protection Bill. But this Bill is collecting dust on the Premier's desk.
The Victorian Government has been promising new animal welfare laws for a decade, but now there's only a handful of parliamentary sitting weeks before the November election.
If the government doesn't act now, animals will be locked in to many more months, or possibly even years, of suffering under a broken system.
Take action today: tell your Lower House MP that Victoria cannot afford another delay. Our online tool will find your MP and provide a ready-to-send email template in under a minute.
For Millie, and every other animal that has suffered as a result of broken promises – we won't stop fighting.
Our Community in Action
What a month for our AJP community! Dr Helen Jeges secured a major win against the proposed Kilmany greyhound track, members protested jumps racing in Ballarat, and Peita Collard joined Melbourne’s annual corgi meet-up.
With more events and volunteer opportunities coming up, there are plenty of ways to get involved!
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Dr Helen Jeges took on the Greyhound Racing Industry and Won |
Standing up Against Jumps Racing
This month, we teamed up with Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses outside Ballarat Turf Club to protest jumps racing.
Victoria is now the only Australian state where jumps racing remains legal and actively held. Together, we stood up for the horses forced to risk injury and death for gambling and entertainment.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for this peaceful demonstration and picnic afterwards. It’s time to end this cruelty once and for all.
Annual Corgi Meet-Up
Last month one of our election candidates, Peita Collard, attended Melbourne’s annual corgi meet-up, representing the Animal Justice Party and meeting plenty of local animal lovers and their very adorable corgis.
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Upcoming Events
💜 State Members Meeting – 3 September
Join us to hear the latest Party updates, learn what's coming up, and discover ways to get more involved. MP Georgie Purcell will give an update on her work in Parliament and be available to answer your questions. RSVP to attend here.
🌱 Winter Vegan Market – 19 & 20 September
We'll once again be at the Coburg Vegan Winter Market later this month, drumming up awareness of important animal issues and collecting critical petition signatures. Come visit us! You can get your tickets here.
🦘 World Kangaroo Day – 24 October
Save the date - we're planning events to highlight the plight of kangaroos killed legally and illegally, and celebrate our iconic kangas.
🫂 AJP National Conference – 25 & 26 October
The Animal Justice Party National Conference is hosted by our NSW team this year, and can also be attended online. This members-only event is a wonderful opportunity to connect, learn and strengthen our movement. Check out the speakers, jam-packed schedule, and get your tickets here.
🐴 Nup to the Cup Parade – 2 November
We'll be joining Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses for their annual Nup to the Cup event. Save the date for 2 November where we'll meet in Melbourne CBD, and demonstrate that animals should be celebrated, not exploited. Details and RSVP here.
What It's Going to Take to Win
We've always been completely honest about what we're up against this election.
History is not kind to minor parties in Victorian politics: most who win a seat lose it at the very next election.
The major parties and their donors will be throwing everything they have at taking Georgie Purcell's seat back, and it won't take much of a swing for them to succeed.
Georgie is currently the only voice for animals in Victoria's Parliament. If we lose this seat, we lose that voice. There's no back-up plan, and no other MP waiting to pick up where she left off.
Holding it will take more than hope. It will take a fully resourced campaign, an army of volunteers, and every one of us giving 110% between now and election day. Anything less, and the odds are against us.
Can you help make sure we're one of the ones giving 110%? Every dollar goes straight into the campaign — running candidates, printing, advertising, and getting our volunteers where they need to be.
Chip in to Hold Georgie's Seat
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Introducing Natalie for MacedonAmid all that, here's some genuinely good news: we're thrilled to announce Natalie Korinfsky as our Animal Justice Party candidate for Macedon, running alongside Georgie in the electorate she calls home. Nat is a Kyneton local, social worker and youth worker, and President of the Wedge-Tailed Eagles Football Club. She led the club's 12-month fight for the women's team's right to play after they walked away from disrespectful conditions at their old league – a stand against sexism in sport that made news nationwide. Beyond footy, Nat is passionate about animal welfare, accessible mental health services, affordable housing, and education. Want to meet the rest of the team standing up for animals this November? See our full list of candidates across Victoria: Meet our Candidates |
International Dog Day
International Dog Day is celebrated every year on 26 August to honour dogs, appreciate the bond they share with humans and encourage people to adopt from shelters.
This month, we had an extra reason to celebrate as New Zealand held its final greyhound race meeting. The industry was banned by the government following persistently high and unacceptable injury rates among greyhounds.
It’s a huge step forward for greyhounds, and one we will continue to fight for in Victoria – until every dog is free to run for fun, not profit.
Become a Member Today
Our members are the reason this party exists at all. None of what's ahead is possible without our members, donors and volunteers.
And we've got something worth celebrating: we now have more members than at any point in Animal Justice Party Victoria's history. That's not a small thing, it's proof that more people than ever that want to see an end to animal cruelty.
We'd love for you to be one of them. Become a member today, and let's make this election count.
For ALL animals.
Chloe Nicolosi, State Convenor
Animal Justice Party Victoria
