Last year, I took a newborn lamb named Lily to parliament.
Lily was just hours away from becoming one of 15 million lambs who die as newborns in Australia each year. Found shivering and alone, she represents the majority, who succumb from exposure to freezing temperatures and lack of shelter.
In Australia, sheep are intentionally impregnated so their lambs will be born in the coldest months of winter; when pastures are most fertile. The consequence is up to a quarter of those born to the meat and wool industries won't survive their first few days.
Despite being named one of the five basic rights to freedom, access to shelter and shade is not a mandatory requirement for animals in Victoria. We must change that now.