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Parliamentary Questions


Question On Notice No. 1054 asked in the Legislative Council on 19 October 2022 by Hon Dr Brad Pettitt

Question Directed to the: Minister for Regional Development; Agriculture and Food; Hydrogen Industry
Parliament: 41 Session: 1


Question

I refer to the Animal Ethics Committee approval AEC 21-1-05 regarding Western Ringtail Possum shepherding for the Bunbury Outer Ring Roads, and I ask:
(a) is there a mechanism by which the license for this research can be reviewed;
(b) if yes to (a), what is the trigger for the Minister and/or the Animal Ethics Committee to undertake a review of this license;
(c) will the Minister please table (in the form of a table) for each possum originally collared for this project:
(i) the current status and location of each of those possums;
(ii) cross-referenced with identified category 2 and category 3 clearing areas; and
(iii) an accounting of any collar/possum currently missing;
(d) how frequently the watering stations commissioned as part of this study are monitored; and
(e) how often these watering stations have been found to be empty?

Answered on 22 November 2022

(a)-(b) The licence holder and the relevant Animal Ethics Committee (AEC) have obligations to monitor research activity and ensure compliance with the Animal Welfare Act 2002 (Act) and the Australian code for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes (Code).

Under section 17 of the Act, the Minister may suspend or revoke a licence for a range of reasons, principally relating to a failure to comply with the Act, Code or conditions of the licence. 

I am not aware of any evidence of non-compliance.

(c)-(e) The Code requires that AEC members must maintain confidentiality regarding the content of applications and the deliberations of the AEC.

 The AEC has assured me that the licence holder is complying with all the conditions of the licence.