Why Highchester ‘Shutdown’ Was A Failure

This article is a follow up piece to the article “Activists Shut Down Slaughterhouse… For Nothing“.

Since that time, I have received all sorts of condemnation and abuse.

Ranging from:

  • I don’t know what I am talking about
  • I am anti-vegan
  • I am a meat industry shill
  • I can’t see the bigger picture

So, I decided that another article, clearing up things up was warranted.

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Activists Shut Down Slaughterhouse… For Nothing

In what some say is a huge win “for the animals”, activists “shut down” a slaughterhouse in Gleneagle, Queensland.

For a whole four hours.

Yes, you read that right. 4 hours.

In the scheme of things, that’s hardly being shut down now is it?

The stunt was organised by Animal Liberation Queensland and Aussie Farms.

They claim it was done to bring awareness to the plight of bobby calves, and encourage people to “ditch dairy”.

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Duck Shooting. Sport or Slaughter

Duck Shooting. Sport or Slaughter - VeganPolice.com.au
Photo Credit: Castaway Lodge via Compfight cc

It’s that time of year again where shooters and animal advocates are in the midst of a war of words over the start of this year’s duck shooting season.

Animal advocates call duck shooting, “duck killing” and “slaughter” while the shooters themselves call it a “sport”, “legitimate practice” and “recreational pastime or activity”.

Both sides are intent on demonising the other, branding them with labels like “barbarian”, “bloodthirsty”, “out of touch” and “ignorant”

If we put emotion and rhetoric aside, it is a clear-cut case of one side is right while the other is wrong, or are the lines blurred a little?

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Will The Live Animal Trade Be Stopped By An Inquiry And Legislation?

Will The Live Animal Trade Be Stopped By An Inquiry And Legislation?
photo credit: DSC_5169 via photopin (license)

There is a brutal and cold hearted animal trade happen right now. A trade that is allowed to happen because so few are even willing to mention it’s existence.

We are distracted away from questioning the trade by campaigns to stop the live export of animals to overseas countries, and by demonising unscrupulous cat and dog breeders.

Every time we repeat the catchphrase Adopt, Don’t Shop we are condoning this trade, and accepting it’s brutality.

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Will The Animal Justice Party Live Up To The Hype?

Will The Animal Justice Party Live Up To The Hype?
Animal Justice Party’s Mark Pearson.
Source: Facebook

The announcement that voters in NSW were waiting on, was made last Friday afternoon. The final distribution of preferences for the last seats in NSW’s Legislative Council were made, and Mark Pearson from the Animal Justice Party NSW was fortunate enough to score one.

Once the announcement was made the social media accounts of animal groups and their supporters went into overdrive with claims that this was a great day for the animals, that the winds of change are blowing through NSW and so on.

Once everyone’s emotions have settled down, and we all get back to reality, will Mark Pearson and the Animal Justice Party be able to live up to their hype, or will they implode like other micro parties have throughout history?

Nothing Is Going To Change

Despite all the big talk that Mr Pearson and his supporters are claiming, there is very little chance of his vote in the MLC having any impact on proposed legislation.

The AJP don’t hold the balance of power, so there is no need for the government to have discussions with him regarding anything on their wish list.

Sure, Mr Pearson may get some more air time in front of the TV camera’s now that he is, or will be an MLC, though only time will tell how much good that will do.

We all also need to keep in mind that the aim of the party is to “improve the well being of animals”.

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Do ‘Animal Groups’ Need An Ethics Committee?

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Photo Credit: myCAES via Compfight cc

With the increase in the number of animal “matters” being ‘exposed’ through the media, is it time for animal protection groups to refer campaigns to an ethics committee?

In an ideal world, before any campaign or investigation was started, the group would lodge a submission with the ethics review board to assess the long and short term impact to the animals, and how the action compares to the aims of the organisation.

That way, only those activities which aligned with the aims/objectives of the group and had a long term positive benefit on the lives of other animals would see the light of day. Instead of how it is at the moment where groups are doing anything and everything for their share of the spotlight.

What’s More Important, Animals Or Attention?

For arguments sake, let’s use the recent greyhound live-baiting expose as an example.

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Another Pointless Debate

Source: Facebook
Source: Facebook

Chris Delforce from Aussie Farms has stamped his foot like a spoilt toddler, and demanded that Katrina Hodgkinson, New South Wales Minister for Primary Industries, and Steve Coleman, RSPCA NSW CEO, face off against him in a public debate.
Would a debate, public or otherwise, advance the cause for equal consideration for other animals, obtain some sort of justice for pigs/other animals in general, or allow the challenger to increase his unwarranted 15 minutes of fame?
Cameron Blewett thinks it is the latter, and that he is still doing more harm than good, and explains why.

Carrying On Like A Spoilt Child

There is no denying that what was exposed at Wally’s Piggery was atrocious, and the maturity of the movement can be measured by the way that it responds to this set back. A movement that has a matured understands that there will be ups and downs with progress towards equal consideration for other animals.

Except that hasn’t happened in this case. Instead, the movement, and those who want to be leaders of it, are stomping their feet carrying on like spoilt little children. The protests and theatrics of the past weekend are indicative of this.

I’m not really sure if this behaviour is because they were told no, or that the pride and ego of some has been damaged by the dropping of the charges or a combination of both.

One thing is for sure, that these people have now made it about them, rather than what has happened.

Biosecurity Misunderstanding

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