2016-11-09
Ms PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) — On 5 October I attended the launch of the Law Institute of Victoria's (LIV) animal welfare working group as part of the administrative law and human rights section of the law institute. The animal welfare working group was previously a Young Lawyers reference group which focused on researching and sharing information among its members. It is now open to all Law Institute of Victoria members with an interest in animal welfare. The group provides a forum for Law Institute of Victoria members to participate in discussion of animal welfare issues, to assist in researching and drafting LIV submissions for inquiries and bills to influence policy and legislative change and to advocate more broadly for law reform on animal welfare issues. It will also hold events and produce educative material for the profession and community on animal welfare laws.
Animal law is an area of law that is growing rapidly, with an increasing number of law schools teaching animal law courses and new animal law organisations being established. As a professional body for lawyers in Victoria it is important for the LIV to have a voice on animal welfare issues. The animal welfare working group was launched by Ms Carmel Morfuni of counsel, who is a member of the Victorian Bar, a former registrar of the Family Court of Australia and an independent chair of the Victorian ministerial Animal Welfare Advisory Committee. She spoke about how domestic animals are affected by family violence and how they are treated within the realm of family law.
I congratulate the Law Institute of Victoria on the formal establishment of its animal welfare working group, and I look forward to following its work.