Labour's kindness agenda should extend to rodeo animals

Thursday, 12 March 2020

A protester at the Urenui Rodeo in north Taranaki earlier this month filmed a rider wrestling a steer for too long. The Ministry for Primary Industries confirmed a breach of the welfare code, but said no offence was committed.

OPINION: Last month it was revealed that the New Zealand rodeo industry has killed two bulls so far this summer.

As usual, rodeo organisers have trotted out the same line they always use when an animal dies – that the deaths were 'accidental'.

Last summer four animals were killed at the hands of rodeo cowboys. As journalist Patrick Gower pointed out during a live television interview with rodeo spokesperson Lyal Cocks, 'that's not an accident, that's a pattern'.

Considering that opposition to rodeo has grown in New Zealand in recent years, resulting in the cancellation of this year's Mid Northern rodeo, you have to wonder how we got here.

Calf-roping at a rodeo in Southland. The practice is 'one of the most egregious forms of rodeo cruelty', says Will Appelbe.

* MPI investigating Urenui Rodeo video

* National rodeo body admits change needed after breach

* Politics and protests just one side of rodeo, rider says**

It wasn't long ago that the Labour Party was campaigning to remove the previous National Government from power.

Labour pledged in opposition to end a number of rodeo practices, but none has yet been enacted.

It made many promises, which included removing sows and chickens from cages, and a ban on the worst aspects of rodeo. Today the Labour-led Government's silence on those promises is deafening.

Chickens bred for their eggs are still confined to cruel colony cages. The continued use of farrowing crates for sows has prompted SAFE and the New Zealand Animal Law Association to take legal action.

And Labour's promise to ban flank straps, the use of calves under 12 months, electric prods and rope burning has conveniently been forgotten by the current Government.

The role of minister responsible for animal welfare remains vacant, with Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor being the only Cabinet member to speak on animal welfare issues.

Then animal welfare spokesperson Trevor Mallard promised in 2017 that Labour would ban all four of these cruel practices if Labour was elected. The Labour caucus was firm on its position and, if it meant the end of rodeo, so be it.

Labour, NZ First and the Greens also committed to assigning a minister responsible for animal welfare – a role that was eventually given to Meka Whaitiri.

Since Mallard's appointment as Speaker of the House and Whaitiri's removal from her portfolios, there has been no voice for animals in either the Cabinet or the Labour Party. The role of minister responsible for animal welfare remains vacant.

The only member of the executive who will comment on animal welfare is Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor, who by the nature of his role has a conflict of interest.

O'Connor has cited a 2018 rodeo report published by the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee as his reason not to ban flank straps or the use of calves, because the report made no recommendation to do so.

However, he neglected to acknowledge that the same report stated that the committee had moderate to serious concerns for all rodeo events, except for barrel racing.

One of the report's recommendations was that a voluntary phase out of calf 'rope and tie' events should be implemented.

Calf roping, as it's commonly referred to, is considered one of the most egregious forms of rodeo cruelty. The recommended best practice set out in the rodeo code of welfare is that calves should not be used in rodeo.

But rodeo organisers refuse to stop the use of calves, let alone implement any meaningful changes that would improve the welfare of animals used in rodeos.

Labour's position on rodeo has become increasingly unclear since the election. O'Connor says it hasn't scrapped its pre-election promises, but that they're off the table for now. Meanwhile, the cowboys have continued to kill animals.

A common theme for Labour's current term is that it has over-promised and under-delivered. Those of us who care deeply about animals would agree.

But Jacinda Ardern exudes positivity and kindness, and I would hazard a guess that kindness towards animals is important to her too.

The prime minister has proven capable of taking immediate action to help the most vulnerable. She proved this with the recent school lunch announcement, which will make a real difference for our tamariki.

With some political willpower, her Government could also make a real difference for animals, and for the thousands of animal lovers who voted for her. She might just need them in the voting booth later this year.

* Will Appelbe is SAFE's media manager and rodeo spokesperson.