Animal Liberation (WA) Inc - 2000 - News articles from Australia and around the World

Meat and animal feed infected with mad cow disease may have been sold across the globe, raising the possibility of outbreaks beyond Europe, the World Health Organisation said today.

Maura Ricketts, a WHO specialist, said it was almost impossible to trace where suspect meat or feed might have gone since mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy, was first identified in Britain in 1986. "How food is exchanged across borders isn't very transparent or easy to understand," she told reporters. "Neither is how cattle feed moves around the world."

Scientists initially were taken by surprise by the disease, which is considered the likely cause of a new variant of the human brain-wasting ailment, Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease.

"The incubation period for this is quite lengthy and the disease appears to be a completely unexpected, novel agent," Ricketts said. "We didn't think that it would make human beings ill." Governments were slow to impose bans on the import of meat and bone meal and other potentially risky animal products, and the goods were exported for a long time after the disease was identified, she said.

6th December 2000

Queensland is set to introduce the world's toughest animal cruelty penalties with offenders facing fines of $75,000 and two years in jail under laws to go before Parliament next year.

Primary Industries Minister Henry Palaszczuk said the present Act had been in place for 75 years and carried a maximum fine of $3000 for acts of animal cruelty. "This bill provides for fines of up to $75,000 and two years in jail for individuals and up to $375,000 for corporations" Mr Palaszczuk said. "That's a 2400 per cent increase and will be the world's toughest animal cruelty regime" he said.

6th December 2000

The owners of a Huapai egg farm could face prosecution, leading to six months' jail or a $25,000 fine after thousands of their chickens starved to death.

Eight thousand caged hens were left for dead in a shed at the egg farm, 28km northwest of Auckland. They were discovered when the landlord, who lives next door, returned home from holiday. Rodney District Council health officers entered the farm last Thursday after neighbours complained of large numbers of rats on their properties. Dozens of rats were discovered in the shed feasting on the carcasses of dead hens.

24th November 2000

Well, our office is just about ready to run. Our objective is to have our office/shop staffed at least between 10am - 4pm plus Saturday morning. But to do this, we need members/supporters to get involved in the administration side of Animal Liberation. This is an exciting new era where we can utilise new technology to further spread our message. The Committee and a few others have been working hard to get the office to the stage it's at now, but the baseline is that Animal Liberation needs it's supporters to make the office come alive.

We have new computers coming next week, so we will be able to start overhauling all of our fact sheets and articles. There is still plenty of work to be done that doesn't need computers

The book/audio/video/article library is unpacked, we just need to re-catagorise everything - any assistance with that task will be greatly appreciated.

We need volunteers for our ongoing research and to put together articles and fact sheets. Also anyone that would like to get involved with the production of a regular WA newsletter.

We are involved with the ecoWatch series at CTV (Community TeleVision) whiich will go to air early next year on Channel 31. We hope to initialise other animal related programs as well.

Even answering the phone would be appreciated.

No experience is necessary - all we need is any time you can spare.

Anybody that sent an email offering help please contact the office or send an email with you abilities/skills and time available. We are well located for public transport and we have on-site parking for private transport.

Remember, the phones will not be answered regularly until there is regular staff to answer it.

Volunteer Registration Form

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15th November 2000

An animal activist's pets have been slaughtered in what is thought to be a revenge attack.

Patty Mark of Elwood in Victoria, Australia, found two hens killed and dumped in a bin and two ducks and eight other hens missing. Some of their headless carcasses have been found and the rest are thought to be dead.

Ms Mark, 51, has carried out a 23-year campaign against the practice of battery farming hens and said the attack won't stop her. Just before the incident she had spoken out against another farm development and had received a threatening phone call. She told the Herald Sun newspaper: "It might have been payback. The person who did this must be very sick. All I can hope is that it was a quick death for all of them."

14th November 2000

UK Government's Bill to ban fur farming completed its final stage in the House of Lords.

3rd November 2000

620 HORSES DIE - ANIMAL LIBERATION CALLS FOR INQUIRY INTO NPWS KILLING METHODS - AND WHY THE HORSES HAD TO DIE

6 October 2000

We're having a dumpster delivered for our continiung tidy-up of the office and grounds, any assistance welcome. We should be there around 10 am Saturday 7th October.

The phones go on Tuesday (so Telstra says) and our monitored alarm system goes in Wednesday. We can then go about putting merchandise and computers in. There will be someone in the office both Tues & Wed mornings next week if anyone wishes to check out the premises or wishes to volunteer some time.

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3 October 2000

Our phones will now be hooked up sometime next week. You guessed it, Telstra has apparently lost the paperwork and were going to allocate new numbers for us. Our existing numbers still work, they're just diverted to another number temporarily. We still need more volunteers, so still phone and leave a message or send an email

2 October 2000

Our new office is officially open, as of 1st Oct we're paying rent.

Our phone lines go in this Thursday (5th) and all we're waiting for are some more volunteers to staff the office. Just send an email outlining any skills you have to offer and what days/hours you can give; or phone the office on (08) 9225 4101 or send a fax on (08) 9225 4102 Click here for map.

Over the next few weeks we will be getting the layout of the office/shop done. As we are at street level, we will be having an alarm system installed. Once this is done we will have merchandise, pamphlets, magazines etc to organise and display - for all of these things Animal Liberation needs the help of supporters and members. No experience is needed, just whatever time you can give. Remember this your office, it can only be open if it is staffed by volunteers.

We are going to have a great place that hopefully will become the hub of many other community based animal and environmental groups - So please get involved.

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20th September 2000

We have a new office

Our new office is at 114 Beaufort Street , Perth.

There are 6 parking bays at the front entrance off Beaufort St. We also have a side entrance from Aberdeen St (parking at rear is let out). There is plenty of street parking and there are CAT and normal bus stops across the road. We have a busy time ahead of us cleaning, painting, furniture, phones etc; anyone wishing to help please Contact Us first.

Click here for map.

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25th August 2000

Negotiations for the new premises are on hold. We are accertaining the best way to deal with the GST component of the lease so as not to interfere with the rates concessions we are entitled to as a non-profit organisation.

We appologise for the delay in the delivery of Action Magazine, we have a newsletter to come as well and are trying to avoid doubling the mail-out costs.

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21st August 2000

Well, the State Agriculture Ministers voted against removal of the battery cage. They so generously increased the sq cm of floor space for an individual bird. It's now got to be at least 550 sq cm, which is not as big as an A4 sheet - 623 sq cm. All new cages are guaranteed a working life of 20 years as well.

Australia wide and Earth wide; Animal rights organisations have made the public more aware of Human societies' abuse and mis-treatment of our companion creatures. Many laws have been enacted or changed which has resulted in an improved life for many animals. We have a long way to go, but every step is worth it. So we must all continue to protest and educate. Let our Minister and his colleagues know that our Society has been let down by their callous disregard for the suffering of another creature. Let them know your thoughts and that you will not go away!

(New and current minister as of Feb 2001)
The Hon. Kim Chance MLC
Minister for Agriculture; Forestry and Fisheries; the Midwest, Wheatbelt and Great Southern
11th Floor
Dumas House
2 Havelock Street
WEST PERTH WA 6005
Ph: 9213 6700
Fx: 9213 6701

21st August 2000

Update on possible new premises; the building checks out ok electrically etc. It's old, but sturdy and has some character. Still some details to confirm, hope to have a decision very soon.

10th August 2000

Brief news items from your committee.

We've finally found new premises and are now negotiating the lease terms, we should have a decision by next week. The premises will provide better access to all supporters, it's on a major bus route and has ample parking for those that come by car. We hope to have the new premises open and running mid September, once we have done the painting and furnishing etc. More details once we have final confirmation.

Action Magazine has finally arrived (last week) and we will mailing it out within the week along with a newsletter.

We appologise for the delay in our regular mailouts and the short break in regular meetings. Your committee, like all who work for Animal Liberation, are volunteers and have been busy behind the scenes (in our spare time). Apart from the ongoing Battery hen campaign (via lobbying), we've spent time looking for more usable premises, improving the website and generally working on ways to improve our operation and profile within the community. The result of this work will become evident over the next couple of months.

One of the desired improvements to the organisation is to have the office open more often, preferably at least during normal office hours. For this to happen, we need more volunteers to staff the office. Anyone that has time to spare, articles for inclusion in our newsletter or suggestions, please contact us. As much as we all need Animal Liberation to do the work of lobbying and protesting, Animal Liberation needs actual people to volunteer their time and resources in order to function. Please click here if you can help.

25th July 2000

Food production rising, says UN

Food production will outpace population growth by 2003, but widespread hunger will persist, a United Nations food agency said today.

The Rome-based Food and Agricultural Organisation said cereals will remain the world's staple food, and that people will be better fed.

25th July 2000

Here is a selection of photos of some Australian politicians showing their support for Free Chook 2000. Some very nice photos. Courtesy of Animal Liberation NSW.

Published on Monday, July 17, 2000 in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer

18th July 2000

The Queensland department of primary industries has an online questionnaire about battery hens. The URL is: http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/animals/layerhens/questionnaire.html This questionnaire counts as a submission to the government enquiry. Submissions close on July 24, although this may be extended to August 7. So if you can, please complete this online questionnaire as soon as possible (and tell as many of your friends as possible to do the same). PS. Have you seen the picture of Lindsay McDougall from Frenzal Rhomb wearing a yellow beak?

5th July 2000

MET POLICE PAY £10,000 TO McLIBEL 2 OVER DISCLOSURE OF CONFIDENTIAL INFO TO McDONALD'S - Commissioner forced to agree to alert all officers not to pass on confidential data 6 years after the McLibel trial started on 28th June 1994, the High Court has sealed an out of court settlement order in a separate case brought by the McLibel 2. Helen Steel (34) and Dave Morris (46), launched proceedings on 17th September 1998 against the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, and Detective Sergeant David Valentine, over their disclosure of confidential information to McDonald's, claiming damages for misfeasance in public office, breach of confidence and breach of their right to privacy.

Story

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30th June 2000

Courtesy of Animal Liberation NSW

Battery egg farmer Steve Holme pleaded guilty to four counts of cruelty to battery hens in a landmark court case in Kurri Kurri today.

Holme was facing charges under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act brought by Animal Liberation NSW president Mark Pearson last year.

Story

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27th June 2000

Statement passed on from indymedia...

McDonald's and Globalisation On Trial In France. A historic trial is about to take place at Millau, France, on the 30th June/1st July. José Bové, spokesperson and founder of the French Peasant Confederation and 10 of his colleagues are accused of dismantling a McDonalds restaurant in the town in an anti-globalisation protest. Best info can be had from the Confederation web site at http://www.confederationpaysanne.fr/

Also from the special independent media team set up to cover the case, at france.indymedia.org web
"Yes, this action was illegal, Yes, this is serious, and that's why I assume full responsibility. The only regret I have now is that I wasn't able to destroy more of it. These actions will stop when this mad logic comes to a halt."

22 June 2000

We should have our Internet Domain registered within the next few days. Once this is in place, we will commence work on a bulletin board which will give members and supporters more interaction with the association and each other. We are also looking at the provision of email address' for members. Any suggestions for other features that we could include would be appreciated.

Action Magazine will be going to print soon, so it will still be a few weeks before we recieve it. Action Magazine is also in the process of setting up their Internet presence at http://www.actionmag.org/

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20 June 2000

Due to the expiration of our current lease, Animal Liberation (WA) is negotiating a lease on new premises which will offer improved access to all. We are also hoping that the new premises will see more volunteers staffing the office. We anticipate the new premises will be functioning sometime in July 2000. All phone/fax numbers and emails are still current, however the office at 10 Pier St is now vacant. The new address will be posted as soon as negotiations are complete.

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1 June 2000

26 May 2000

Thanks to Horacio Cardenas for the following article

Up to april 25, more than seven million chickens had been slaugthered to prevent the spread of the New Castle Virus. 45 farms were totally depopulated in the area known as "La Laguna" in the states of Durango and Coahuila, Mexico, distant some 400 miles from the Texas Border. The origin of the desease is unknown, but it is suspected that a farm trying to cut expenses deliberatly forgot to inmunize its chickens.

As to May 19, the amount of birds slaughtered was already 14 million, and the farms depopulated near one hundred The Sanitary authorities claim that the economic loses are beyond calculation, but that it is still not a tragedy, because the sacrified birds amount to only 14% of the about 100 million kept in farms in the region.

There is a certain degree of mistrust of the information given by owners and the goverment, that the plague is under control, and that it "causes no harm to humans", any way there is sort of suspiction that infected product has been given away in marginal areas.

for some more information you might want to check (journal level)

http://www.elsiglodetorreon.com.mx/ediciones/2000/05/19/18reg50.htm

News & Information

23th December 2000

6th December 2000

6th December 2000

24th November 2000

15th November 2000

14th November 2000

3rd November 2000

18 October 2000

Read this.....Don Burke "I believe in death"

10 October 2000

6 October 2000

3 October 2000

2 October 2000

22 September 2000

20th September 2000

We have a new office

25th August 2000

21st August 2000

21st August 2000

10th August 2000

Brief news items from your committee.

25th July 2000

Food production rising, says UN

25th July 2000

Published on Monday, July 17, 2000 in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer

18th July 2000

5th July 2000

Story

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30th June 2000

Courtesy of Animal Liberation NSW

Story

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27th June 2000

Statement passed on from indymedia...

22 June 2000

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20 June 2000

1 June 2000

26 May 2000

Thanks to Horacio Cardenas for the following article

11 April 2000

Great news, Tuesday 11 April 2000, Wanneroo Council voted to ban circus animals from the City of Wanneroo. Details will be posted as soon as available. Still waiting on council releasing details.