Announcement date
19/08/2022
Link to announcement
https://minister.agriculture.gov.au/watt/media-releases/australian-animal-welfare-standards-guidelines-for-poultry
Problem being addressed
The three existing Model Codes of Practice (MCOPs) that cover the welfare of domestic poultry (including emus and ostriches) do not reflect contemporary animal welfare science, contemporary industry practices, and new technologies. There is evidence that the MCOPs are inconsistently implemented in states and territories and are largely voluntary rather than mandatory.
Proposal
The Decision RIS considers the impacts of four key policy options:
- Option 1: maintain the existing MCOPs.
- Option 2: introduce the proposed Standards and Guidelines as voluntary.
- Option 3: introduce the proposed Standards as compulsory and Guidelines as voluntary.
- Option 4: introduce the proposed Standards as compulsory and Guidelines as voluntary, with an extended phase out period of conventional cages until 2046.
The Decision RIS recommends Option 3 as the option which most substantially addresses the policy problem. The Decision RIS estimates the costs of implementation to be $261 million over the next 10 years. At a consumer level, it is expected to cost at most $1.51 per egg consumer per year.
Assessed RIS outcome
Compliant Decision RIS
Consultation RIS
This Decision RIS was developed based on public consultation with industry and stakeholders, conducted through a Consultation RIS. The Consultation RIS has been published alongside the Decision RIS and was assessed as compliant by the OBPR in October 2017.