A Revolution in Kindness: Inside the Animal Justice Movement

Episode Description 🐾

In this powerful and eye-opening episode, Trisha sits down with the Hon. Amanda Dorn from the Animal Justice Party to explore what it truly means to create a compassionate future for animals, people, and the planet.

From banning greyhound racing and ending factory farming to protecting Australia’s iconic wildlife and introducing “VetiCare,” Amanda shares how change is happening—step by step—inside Parliament.

This conversation shines a light on the realities of animal welfare legislation, the challenges of shifting entrenched industries, and the growing global movement toward recognising animal sentience. It’s a deeply inspiring call to action for anyone who cares about animals and wants to make a meaningful difference.

Episode Highlights 🐶

• Amanda’s journey into Parliament and her mission with the Animal Justice Party
• The push to ban greyhound racing and end systemic cruelty
• The truth about practices like mulesing and why legislation matters
• Protecting native wildlife like black cockatoos and kangaroos
• The environmental impact of animal agriculture
• The exciting proposal of “VetiCare” – affordable veterinary care for those in need
• Why public sentiment is shifting toward compassion
• How YOU can help drive real change

Key Takeaways 🐾

• Change doesn’t happen overnight—incremental progress leads to lasting transformation
• Animal welfare must include all animals, from farmed to wild to companion
• Recognising animal sentience is key to future legislation
• The biggest impact individuals can make daily is through conscious choices
• Supporting compassionate political movements can amplify real change

Episode Chapters ⏱️

00:00 – Introduction to Amanda Dorn
 02:00 – Core policies of the Animal Justice Party
 05:00 – The reality of farming practices & mulesing
 10:00 – Wildlife protection & habitat loss in Australia
 15:00 – Greyhound racing and legislative change
 18:00 – Global animal justice movement
 22:00 – Food systems and ethical consumer choices
 25:00 – Introducing “VetiCare”
 30:00 – How the public can get involved
 34:00 – Final thoughts & call to action

Animal News 🐾

A heartwarming yet cautionary story from Taronga Zoo highlights the importance of responsible interaction with wildlife.

An overweight kookaburra was rescued after becoming too heavy to fly—likely due to being overfed by humans (yes… pork sausages included!). After a “boot camp” recovery program, the bird was successfully released back into the wild.

This story reminds us:
 👉 Feeding wildlife can do more harm than good
 👉 Animals need natural diets to stay healthy
 👉 The best way to help is to protect habitats and seek expert advice when needed

About the Guest 👤

The Hon. Amanda Dorn is a Member of the Legislative Council in Western Australia, representing the Animal Justice Party.

She is a passionate advocate for ending animal cruelty, strengthening environmental protections, and advancing ethical policy reform. Amanda is part of a growing global movement pushing for compassion-led governance and systemic change.

https://www.animaljusticeparty.org/our_policies 

Listen, Share & Stay Connected 🎧

If this episode inspired you, please:
 ✨ Share it with a fellow animal lover
 ✨ Subscribe to Animal Talk with Trisha McCagh
 ✨ Leave a review to help amplify the message

Together, we can be part of the revolution in kindness.#AnimalJustice

 #CompassionInAction #VetiCare #AnimalWelfare #WildlifeProtection #EndCruelty #SustainableFuture #ConsciousLiving #AnimalTalkPodcast #KindnessRevolution

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:02

Our guest today is the Honourable Amanda Dawn from the Animal Justice Party. Amanda is known for her clear, principled stance on animal welfare, environmental protection, and ethical policy reform. Her leadership reflects a growing movement towards compassion-centred governance, and we're very grateful to have her here. So, hi Amanda, thank you so much for joining us here on the show today. A rare privilege indeed. Can't wait to ask you a million questions. Hope you're ready for it.

SPEAKER_01 0:29

Thanks very much, Trisha. Yeah, it's great to be here in friendly company, which is great.

SPEAKER_03 0:34

Yeah, absolutely. This is just a friendly conversation, but there's lots of things I want to ask you because I have your undivided attention. I I just love that, right? You are in the upper house and you're in Perth Western Australia, so we're we're talking at the state level. Now, what are the main policies of the Animal Justice Party?

SPEAKER_01 0:53

We want to ban obviously greyhound racing. We're looking at obviously we want to end live export, which is a federal issue. Banning factory farming, we want to introduce an independent office for animal protection, which would actually protect farm animals because farm animals are left out of the Animal Welfare Act. Protecting our native icons, the dingo having protection around that, our kangaroos, our native icons, and what people aren't actually realizing are the largest land-based slaughter of our mammals, of our wildlife, our iconic creatures. We want to protect all animals. I mean, the Animal Justice Party is the only political party dedicated to ending cruelty for all animals. And that's why I love the party so much because farm animals aren't left out of that equation. So it's really just it's it's all animals from the hermit crab up north to farm animals, to our iconic animals, yeah. And marine life as well.

SPEAKER_03 1:52

What is the Animal Justice Party trying to do in in order to get these policies up front, across the line, whatever, whichever way you want to look at it? What's the process?

SPEAKER_01 2:02

Obviously, we want to end systemic cruelty uh within the animal agriculture industry, and it's such a huge industry, but then you're looking at the racing industry as well. And we believe in incremental changes because those industries are just so enormous and just so powerful. There's just so much weight behind them, not only financial, but also the public perception. They what they consider entertainment, of course, when it comes to gambling. We know that change happens incrementally. I think maybe better improve the lives of animals within those industries, like the tongue ties within horse racing. Being able to whip a horse is still legal, even though if you whipped your dog, that's illegal. So we're hoping to change that incrementally within legislation and talk about that. But the other issues as far as like protecting our wildlife, maybe it is a case of actually changing the regulations, but also introducing legislation and having the entire chamber uh vote on that.

SPEAKER_03 3:01

It's wonderful the way you're looking at it because we have to be realistic and honest about this whole thing. There are big industries, they've been there for a long time, they're very ingrained, and there's benefit to a lot of people out of them, and we won't go into that because I think whoever's listening to this will know what we're talking about. But why I'm saying that is because we have to make the incremental changes for the big change to happen. If you try to go from A to Z, it's not going to get anywhere. I just want to let everyone know that you were only elected, or the Animal Justice Party got a seat in the upper house only in May. So we're talking small period of time, so we don't expect to but seven months. Yeah, yeah. So it's anything I ask you, you know, we realise it's only been a small amount of time. But just so that people can kind of get the gist of what you're trying to do. I know that you've only been there a small time and you've got to make connections and you've got to be a voice and all of that thing. But do you think you're getting any traction with the current government that's in power in Australia at the moment, you know, being the ALP, the Australian Labour Party? Do you have any traction with them? How are we going to go about this to try to make these very big policies even get increments?

SPEAKER_01 4:10

Sure, Trish, because I mean what we want to do is stop any practices that do actually cause pain and distress to animals. So I do believe that we are actually making headway within within Parliament and bringing these issues to the forefront and speaking with all of the ministers as well, making member statements, talking about me is say for live lamb cutting for int for instance, that is still existing like within you know farming practices and actually banning that as opposed to just introducing pain relief.

SPEAKER_03 4:45

So it's all so could you just explain to our audience what that is without going too graphically, obviously.

SPEAKER_01 4:54

Yeah, the live lamb cutting, they they refer to it, it's called mulesling, but I mean that that title is really misleading because it's just named after the person who created that whole horrific experience for lambs, which is literally just uh to prevent fly strike, which is blowflies hovering around and uh around a lamb's backside. So literally they cut live, while the lamb is alive, they literally just cut the flesh, cut the skin off of a lamb and let it smoothen it, grow back smoother that heel over smooth, whereas which is excruciatingly painful. The lamb feels everything. After speaking to the Nashville's as well, they say they've actually said to me that a lot of the farmers have stopped using that practice. But it needs to be legislated because obviously you do have farmers that are still engaging in that practice. It can be bred out of them, so farmers are actually using sheep, and we want that to be legislated because if farmers are already doing that, why not legislate it that we genetically use these sheep potentially? We want to stop the whole practice and stop obviously the use of sheep in this area in this area, but genetically modify you grow these sheep as opposed to having to undertake live lamb cutting to avoid fly strike. That's really what it's ultimately trying to achieve.

SPEAKER_03 6:08

Well, they're doing it in they're doing it in dogs and everything else, modifying and changing, not that that's always for the best, but they're trying to do other things so that we can stop that practice because it won't be a problem anymore, is what you're saying.

SPEAKER_01 6:22

Yeah, well, that's right, that's right. Um, you know, and we want to strengthen and modernize animal protection laws, and that's dealing and working with farmers as well, because we understand that this is their livelihoods, but we want them to transition into ethical practices, ethical farming practices, and we have to work with them. So we find so that's where we can transition them or help them. And so we've got our eye definitely on the larger policies and the larger things that we want to achieve. But we also want to um restore our ecosystems and protect wildlife as well, like our black cockatoos, and you know, protective then their habitat, protecting um the bankshire woodlands, protecting their food source, and yeah, the black cockatoos is a huge issue. And that's you know, and there's um and there's a lot of public sentiment around that. Everybody agrees that we want to say, for instance, the um the black cockatoo. Nobody wants to see any cruelty, nobody wants to see any animals suffer unnecessarily or suffer through cruelty, whether or not that's a starving black cockatoo or ever or if it's a lamb. And just having us in parliament now to actually bring these issues to the forefront, I didn't realise that. Or I, okay, we didn't realise that this was so systemic. Well, and that's it, people have said that to me directly. I didn't realise that that was such a big issue. I thought this was everything was fine, but it's not.

SPEAKER_03 7:44

So this is being said to you in parliament?

SPEAKER_01 7:47

Yeah, people, yeah, absolutely. Yeah, definitely people have said that to me. The member statements that I've been making, um, people have really congratulated me on standing up and bringing all of the animal issue, issue all the animal issues that we we know of, bringing those into parliament. Um, and you know, and it's creating content. There's a website that my that my team have created for me, which is amandadornmp.com. And all of the member statements, all of our issues, um, my questions on notice, the questions without notice to the to the ministers. That's all there. And so you can see that we're trying to just let people know, okay, we're not going to be silent on this anymore. Like now that we're there, it's not going to be ignored anymore. Let's talk about the climate. Let's talk about not only what's what fossil fuels are doing to the climate, but what animal agriculture, the negative impact that that's having on the climate. And having us in parliament now, I can talk about these things.

SPEAKER_03 8:44

But I also wanted to talk about something else that's really big. And I'm really ashamed to, I'm really ashamed to say this, but you already know it. That we have a very high extinction rate in this country and around the world. And considering 80% of our animals are nowhere else in the world, that's not good. That's why we need your party there, obviously, as well, because this is happening in Australia and and it's it doesn't look like it's stopping anytime soon. You know, where they so you it's really interesting, you've come from the black cockatoos, it's cruelty because they're starving, because they can only eat from a certain tree, they can only reproduce in a certain tree. Sure. And we're just through mining and various other things are just willy-nilly what wiping them out and not thinking about them.

SPEAKER_01 9:26

The land clearing is the biggest issue for extinction of our wildlife. Land clearing for not only for mining, but for residential, but for housing. I mean, it's shameful the fact that you know WA is the longest city in the country, I think in the world. In fact, there was a documentary that um that was created by a um a local filmmaker, a a young chap. Fantastic documentary, but terrifying. And he documented that very fact of how long we actually, how long the city actually is through urban sprawl. There needs to be better housing options for people within a housing crisis. We need more urban infill. We need to protect the tree canopy, but we need to protect the cockatoo habitat, stop land clearing for a start for residential development, and let's go for better, more sensitive development, which is what the government is focused on at the moment, is creating apartments near transport and train stations. So that's a big thing the government's working on at the moment. Because they say it's the cost of materials to actually build. But I mean, it's there has to be a way that we can actually do that so we actually can protect the natural habitat of our native icons of our wildlife. I mean, that's why I joined an action group to save the kangaroos. There's many kangaroos that are boxed in because of development. We're working on with our local wildlife carers. They're fantastic, the Rocky Ridge and Wildlife Sanctuary, to hopefully we help them with ministerial approval, working behind the scenes to translocate, say, two to three hundred kangaroos and successfully relocate them back to natural bushland, which is certainly available. So that's sort of work what we're working on behind the scenes, and we don't need that to be legislated. We can work with the ministers to give the ministers solutions on how we want to best protect our wildlife. I mean, when you look at, say, the drinking fountains, for instance, in Victoria Park, the cocky troughs, you know, that they have introduced, there's now a hundred across different local shires, and they saw the need because the Black Cocker 2 was running out of water. So they've created these tall cocky troughs and they're plumbed in and it flushes out fresh water so leaves and debris don't gather in these shallow troughs that cockies like to drink out of. And it's terrific. Town of Victoria Park won an award for that innovation. So we really commend those sort of localized solutions for a really big problem. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 11:58

Obviously, whoever's the audience we have can be anywhere uh at all. So we're in we're talking about Perth Western Australia in particular today. But I've just been over east of Australia and um I went to the Feathered Friends, where they do um a lot with the black cockatoo carnabies and things like that. They're endangered. The guy there was actually flying back when I did, and he's currently in WA trying to get rare, you know, the whitetails and yellowtail cockatoos to take them back to breed with them to do that. So there's a lot going on, and he was actually talking about these cocky troughs. And so everybody over east was all very fascinated about that, and uh going, Oh wow, you know, how wonderful over there, you know. So of course I was very chuffed sitting there as a as a West Australian. These birds were captivating, and this guy pointed out this is not entertainment today, this is not a bird show, it is about conservation and preservation, and this is what's going to happen for your kids. They won't see this type. He said, Do I know who's gonna come and join us today? No, I don't. I've got a I've got an iPhone with navigation on it, and we hope for the best, but it's up to the birds. And people were loving the fact that these birds had their freedom, these birds were just everywhere, and the birds loved it as a communicator that the birds were enjoying it, and they loved it because everything was done in the right way, and it was wonderful, the information. And now those people sitting around, you and I know, but a lot of people don't. They had no idea of this extinction problem, they had no idea of the endangerment, they had no idea, and they were all sitting there and they hung around and they bought stuff, they wanted to donate more money because these people are not funded, they are purely by the people that, like I did, bought a ticket and went there. So there's so much then, Amanda, that the public can do, and we will talk about that. But what I wanted to ask you particularly is let's just talk about the Animal Justice Party. Now, you are in the upper house in WA, but we also have a federal level that we can have the Animal Justice Party. What do we have around Australia? Can you just explain to the audience where do we have representation so far, whether federally or state?

SPEAKER_01 14:07

Sure, sure. We haven't managed to win a seat federally because that's incredibly difficult. So, but every every four years, but we're always contesting it and we'll always keep trying. But at the moment, we have Emma Hearst in New South Wales in the upper house, and we have Georgie Purcell in Victoria. So, and we collaborate and we we work together. Georgie's office initially, for instance, she reached out to us because there was a hermit crab issue when we first got elected. Hermit crabs that were being shipped off overseas for the pet trade. This chat that's been doing that for 40 odd years. So my point is that we're actually working together. Okay, how can we have a bigger voice with the three of us in now to actually drive the animal agenda forward and to really have a more powerful voice within the upper house? Um, and the there's different issues we're all fighting for to end greyhound racing. Obviously, it's it's now it's phasing out in Tasmania, which is fantastic. So, but all three of our three states were working on banning greyhound racing. It's gone to a committee. So a parliamentary committee is now looking at the greyhound racing industry in WA. And once it goes to a parliamentary committee, it means that they'll have hearings and all different stakeholder groups will have their say on why it should end. Free the Hounds have been fantastic. They've been working on this for years and years. So they have been instrumental in getting this pushed to a committee. And for the last six years, you know, your Lisa Bakers, the compassionate Labour people have actually helped drive this forward and drive this to a committee. And that happened. We got elected. We were pushing for this, but the work was done. We just went in there as well. And it just coincidentally it got pushed to a committee at the same time that we actually were fighting for it and started fighting for it when we got elected as well. But that's all thanks to Free the Hounds. All our information comes from their advocacy and their extraordinary work that they've been doing for years and years. You know, I celebrate my win with my own greyhound, Mr. Marble. He's fantastic. He now jumps on the couch, he jumps on the bed every time my back is turned, and he just seems to big array of just, I don't know, he must jump up and down. But I walk back into the bedroom and his pillows are everywhere.

SPEAKER_03 16:23

He's having a dog's life, which is what he should have had in the first place, right? But what I wanted to ask you, you were bringing up about all these amazing people working behind the scenes and want to honour all of them, obviously. Yeah, so what have you noticed in the last few years of elections? Because you got in this time, and these other people are getting in, which is unheard of because we've not had the Animal Justice Party, you know, around forever. So what do you think is changing in the public sentiment? What do you think is changing where obviously there's more votes, or you know, I know we have preferences and all that, but I think there's something else is changing within the public, do you feel?

SPEAKER_01 17:00

I think it's a revolution in kindness. I mean, that's what I'm fighting for, is a revolution in kindness. And I think public sentiment is changing because people don't, they they don't want to stand for the same things and they want to end cruelty, acts of cruelty towards uh towards animals. And I think that resonates with people with what we actually stand for. And being a minor party, I think we need more independence, we need more minor parties advocating because the major parties are not doing what the general public and what the public sentiment is crying out for. And that is to look at the the laws that surround animals and looking at what we actually want to achieve, which is protecting the environment, protecting the natural habitat for animals, because we all share the environment. We all want the tree canopy. We can all agree that the tree canopy needs to be improved upon. We've got the worst rate of chopping trees down and out of anywhere, but we can all agree that that's what we need to protect is our tree canopy and environment.

SPEAKER_03 18:02

Do you mean do you mean WA or Australia as a whole?

SPEAKER_01 18:05

Sure, I think no, and I think Australia as a whole, in fact, when you look at what um the amount of trees and land clearing that we are actually um, what we are actually doing to the state. But that's where we can agree across all parties is that we need to actually protect trees. But we share the environment with our wildlife and with our animal brethren. That's what resonates with people is our core values. They're seeing that they're going, okay, these people, they're actioning, they're they're doing everything that they said they were going to do.

SPEAKER_03 18:36

Yeah, and you know what? For me, that's major because I think that certain certain people feel that they're never listened to, but the people who feel very strongly about environment, I think, are probably feeling the most neglected. And unfortunately, I hate to say that in Australia, but it is feeling that way, and I've heard the sentiment of a lot of people, which is really unfortunate. If people's sentiments are changing, um, I just want to clarify something first within our parties for those who who know about Australian politics, because a lot of people seem to think, because the Greens, greens usually means environment and everything else. So I think a lot of people thought the Greens were doing what you're actually have come in and talking about. Would you say that that's a fair assumption?

SPEAKER_01 19:23

Definitely, absolutely. And the Greens are our biggest allies within Parliament. And we're all I'm we're all good friends. Absolutely. They're our friendly allies within Parliament, absolutely, because our core values, our values align with them. But I think the Animal Justice Party, we're better than the Greens. The Greens want to make bad things better, but I believe that the Animal Justice Party want to end the bad things. We are talking in Parliament about the negative effects of what animal agriculture is having on our environment. And for us to actually lean into them and for them to lean into us, because they are talking a lot about fossil fuels and also the alcohol, say the expansion and the desecration of our northern Jarrah forests, which is so critical, absolutely, the protection of that. But we're talking about farm animals, and they definitely support us in what we're trying to achieve as well.

SPEAKER_03 20:15

So I'm just wanted to ask a couple of things. Do you know around the world, do other parliaments, do other, you know, government systems have something similar to an animal justice party?

SPEAKER_01 20:27

The Netherlands is the largest one and the the most proactive that that really comes to mind. Uh, the Netherlands is doing a lot. They're one of the most successful and first animal rights uh parties. And our president, Bruce Poon, he speaks to the uh the international um cohort of animal rights activists frequently, in fact. The UK also has the animal welfare party. And there's compassionate parties throughout Germany, Portugal, Spain, and they have some really strong animal rights policies as well that we lean on. But there is a global movement and a global shift, I think, in the way people see and the way people treat animals.

SPEAKER_03 21:09

All these parties around the world, you're saying there's a big shift and it's global. Is there a way? Or do you already work with these other parties in in terms of data and different systems? And is there maybe in the future going to be a summit for those parties to actually get this global movement moving in a much bigger way and a much bigger voice? Because we know that Spain has just, I don't know, yesterday, the day before, brought into effect that animals are now family members and they have all the rights of family members. And that was just brought in in Spanish law. So I think this is becoming a very fast movement globally, and it would be great to see us all working together across the globe.

SPEAKER_01 21:54

Definitely, and we are it is actually happening, and we do want to recognize sentience, you know. Animals and I brought that to the minister. I've made member statements on it, and we want to introduce that. That's part of the Animal Welfare Act. The recommendations within that act. And the first thing, the top of that list, is to recognise the sentience within animals, and that includes farm animals, how they have friends, families, feelings. That sentience is the most important thing. So that's really heartening to know that Spain is uh is recognizing that, and that's what we need. That's the shift that we need here in WA and in Australia. But those forums do already exist. There's the the Sydney Animal Rights Forum, which I'll be going to in February, in fact, and uh making a speech, having a presentation there. But these forums do exist, and they and there's also the future of food, those sort of movements as well, looking at our food systems and removing animal agriculture from that and looking at alternative proteins and looking at a better, healthier food system that does not include animals, a plole food, plant-based diet, the plant-based treaty, that sort of thing, those organizations are that's that's a worldwide organization, a non-for-profit. So bringing all of those groups together, we need to impact the wider, the average person, which I consider myself an average person, for people to make different choices at the supermarket. The one thing that we can impact every day is what we eat. So making a different choice. Making different choices, more ethical choices at the supermarket. Cruelty-free choices, eliminating dairy meat, eliminating animal products from your diet, either incrementally or or immediately. We're trying to advocate for a better food system because it's unsustainable, the farming practices at the moment at this level with the amount of animals that are slaughtered annually.

SPEAKER_03 23:57

Well, and and let's talk about the amount of waste as well, because where does all that shop produce go when it's not used up? And you know, I remember years and years and years ago, you'd place an order and they're just so much waste now. And you just look at it and you go, Well, you know, this is just for convenience. It's not for any other reason. Like, let's be honest, let's talk frank, you know, it's absurd because I always w walk through and go, where does all this go? Including like with the fish, we're taking too much from the planet and not giving enough back. And let's not get started on overpopulation and everything else. But because that's a big problem that nobody wants to talk about, but it is a problem. Right. And we have to look at the facts. Now, I just wanted to ask, because I know I've spoken to you before. Um, I don't know whether this has even gone to the agenda yet, but I know that you, your party was interested in something called Veticare.

SPEAKER_01 24:50

That's right.

SPEAKER_03 24:51

So can you tell us about that?

SPEAKER_01 24:52

Oh, I'd love to. I love Veticare. It's a fantastic concept. It really is. It's affordable vet care, affordable vet care for people that really need it, people that, you know, concession cart holders, pensioners, wildlife carers, foster carers. For the people that really can't afford vet care as a starting point. Uh and so that was my first notice of motion that I put up into parliament, which is something that we, everybody that the entire chamber votes on. I had cross-party support, I had unanimous support for Vedicare to go to a committee. And the parliamentary committee process is when the committee will actually scrutinize what we're trying to achieve, which is the concept of affordable vet care for people that really need it. That report is then tabled and brought to parliament. I had unanimous support across the chamber, and that was with Labour, Liberal, the Nationals, One Nation, and the Legalised Cannabis, obviously the Greens. And to have that sort of support, it resonated with everybody, and everybody that stood up and made a statement on what we'd introduced was really heartening because everybody had their own individual personalized story on their own companion animals and or their own communities. So they can't afford the de sexing of their cats or dogs, to being able to afford vet care. If we're looking at Spain and we're saying they're sentient beings, they're part of your family.

SPEAKER_03 26:14

The animals have changed across the board. We it's not the dog that sits outside or occasionally somebody has a cat. We're talking about per capita, it's massive, and they're family members, and some people live on their own and they are a lifelong companion that they rely on. So if you can't afford to get them well, a lot of people have to take the alternative. And that is horrendous, to say at the least, right? Now, I have had animals, but I've also got a lot of clients that come to me, and they're very disheartened a lot of the time because they have to spend thousands and thousands of dollars as a choice between if they feed their family or they can help their other family member, which has four legs. This is a really big problem. The other problem is, and this has happened to me, where I've gone to the vet, and because they don't have the PBS or they don't have a reduction, a discount in um pharmaceutical, you know, uh pills and things, medicines. So when you go to the vet, you might pay for something. Well, they ran out and they said, Don't worry, there's an equivalent for a human, so just go across to the chemist and get this, right? Because we've run out. So we're talking $55 as opposed to $5. Do you see what for the same drug? And I know, and now that animals are so important, and they are, anybody listening here on this podcast, we've certainly got uh we've got a captive audience, but you know, it it's it's so it's so important. So that Vedicare, I've mentioned it to a few people, eyes light up, they put their their hand on heart and go, is that possible? Is that going through? Yes, this is what we're working on. So, in order with all of this, because I I think what you guys are doing is amazing work. Everybody's excited about it. I know you haven't been in long and you need more time, but if we could say to people who are listening, and especially in Australia or maybe Western Australia, but even Australia as a whole, what can they do to help you guys? What are the few things, or is there a single thing that they could do and get this across the line quicker? Is there something they could do?

SPEAKER_01 28:14

Look, absolutely. And just to sort of circle back to what you were saying, not everybody can afford pet insurance. And those people shouldn't need to be persecuted because they have a companion animals who's a family member. They're not a pet, they're a family member. And so you're to be able to make those choices and so to really be able to help them and to lift them, that really resonated with a lot of people. So we'll be pushing hard with that, with definitely with that, once it actually is it's in the committee process. What people can actually do now is join the AJP. Focused activism is voting for us come election time. Great. If that's all you do, vote for us. We need that primary vote to keep being elected, and that's the primary vote is we want, because we're such a minor party, obviously there is the preferences and whatnot, but really voting number one for us come election time. But otherwise, in the meantime, because it's four years between each election, joining the AJP, volunteering at the stalls, having a read of our policies and positions on our website, and then volunteering. That's how I started. And I'm visiting the stalls now, and we've got a big purple tent now with my name on it, which is just so surprising and shocking to see that. It's just so heartening, it really is. And just the level of support that we get um at the markets and different events. So um, I think you can be as active or as inactive as you want. Lifting our membership database, that's the most important thing. And to buy our merchandise, and that's really those funds help us at the next election. So the most impactful thing that you can do is just join the AJP and then and we'll do the rest. But if you want to get more involved, yeah, come join a stall. Come join us when we actually, you know, get together for social events and just be as active as you want. But it's all and you if you want to join the committee, fantastic. There's all these options that are open to you. Don't be intimidated to just sign up and just join in. Yeah, it's a really youthful party with um with policies and position statements on animals, people, and the planet. We're not just a single issue party, and I think that's what resonates with people as well, because we have position statements on um on political issues and also environmental issues. When, but we in that chamber, we're the only party dedicated to ending animal cruelty in parliament and where they're fighting for animals, but like I said before, there's also the environment that we all share.

SPEAKER_03 30:41

Well, I'm saying to the audience out there that if you do care about animals and you do have a really big opinion on animal cruelty and want to do something about it, then please get active and become a member. And if you're not in Australia, because you can do this Australia-wide, but if you're not in Australia, then look for your own party in your own country and make a difference. Don't just sit there and be upset about it, but you can make a difference. I have because I'm obviously a member with you guys, but you know, and I've been to volunteer projects, you know, handing out how to vote cards and chatting, chatting to people doing. Because you're a great advocate. Well, thank you. Because you you, you know, because I don't want to just talk about it, I want to make a difference. Just wanted to ask you too, because somebody asked me actually before they knew this interview was coming up, interdo with uh pet insurance. Because it's not regulated, a lot of people are saying to me that, and and it's been my experience as well, that it goes up so much as you use it that by the time you get to an elderly animal, it's almost a mortgage for your house. So is that something that can be regulated as well? Is that something anyone's looking at, or is it just another issue?

SPEAKER_01 31:50

That question, when it comes to insurance companies, I know that the health minister wants, and that's federally, the health minister wants to keep uh private insurance, wants to keep that capped. And I think that pet insurance is just at the end of a long list of things that they've even considered. I don't know. But when it comes to that, people, a lot of people can't afford pet insurance, and it is, it's like you said, the premiums do keep going up. Uh, and that's why we do need Vedicare. That's why we do need an affordable vet care system similar to Medicare. We can actually help people like giving them a thousand dollars annually as a start to actually to help them. Because insurance, uh that's right, a lot of people can't even afford their own health insurance. So that's a that's just another issue. And so us fighting for veticare would really Yeah, I think that's the way to go because it is. We've spoken to the vet board, they've got solutions on how to actually raise funds. I mean, when you look at the the greyhound industry, the racing industry, and how much the government is using those millions to actually prop up that industry. If those millions were actually redirected, then that would support Vedicare. You know, that would definitely help fund that.

SPEAKER_03 33:03

I'm getting more and more excited about Medicare because everyone said that'll probably never happen. After talking to you today, and I'm loving that the vet boards involved, you know, like all the relevant factors are involved and they're all very positive about this because this is so exciting for me. I just have to deal with the poor clients that just can't afford it and have to make these decisions, and it's devastating and it stays with them for years. And I'm just so glad that you're in parliament and you are raising this to the other ministers. Now, I know that those ministers in there would have experienced a lot of this. I know, because who hasn't? Look, I don't know what parliamentarians get paid, but I'm saying maybe they can afford it, maybe they can't, but certainly a lot of average Australians cannot, and some of them are even fostering and trying to help. I know at the moment the fostering systems are at the brink of destruction because there's too many animals and they just can't fathom the amount, and we need help in that department. So, yes, I'm all I'm all for that. And definitely I would say to anyone out there, let's get join you joined, let's get the membership going. Please help as much as you can because as you can see, Amanda is willing to fight the cause, she's willing to get up there and stand up for all of our animals, and so you know, we would love to help you.

SPEAKER_01 34:21

Also wanting a review of the Cat Act and the Dog Act as well. And we advocate for adopt, don't shop. So we are definitely looking at the companion animals and wanting to help them to be rehomed because, yes, the dog's refuge, the cat haven, the cat haven is still getting 8,000 cats coming in annually. And the issue is because people in targeted areas, lower socioeconomic areas, can't afford the de-sexing of their cats. We need to help those people that can't afford to have their animals de-sexed. Also, the stop puppy farming bill that came, that that was legislated. But the issue is the enforcement of it, and that's what we're trying to work on as well, because people are exploiting these animals. They're exploiting dogs, and so that's why that bill was Stop Puppy Farming, and that's what that's the impact it's having on the dogs' refuge, on the dogs' home, on Shenton Park. We're really advocating review of the Cat Act and the Dog Act, and then the enforcement of it, which is whether or not we're working with local governments or the police department. But that's exactly what I'm trying to find out now is which departments can I work with to actually have the biggest impact.

SPEAKER_03 35:33

And look, I know that everybody will thank you for that. I just want to thank you for the work you're doing and also everybody around you. Thank you for that. Thank you for coming on today, talking about everything, making everything a lot clearer for people to understand and also how that they can help. If they're wanting to get in contact with you and find out more or get really involved, how can they do that?

SPEAKER_01 35:55

Yeah, definitely. Uh email my office. All the details are on my website, amandadawnmp.com. And then reach out to us and you know, and obviously all the socials, the team is terrific with the socials. And come to, you can always visit me in my office for sure as well. You know, it'd be great to have a cup of coffee with you at some point.

SPEAKER_03 36:13

Oh, thank you. Yeah, it'd be wonderful. Look, we'll put we'll put all your details and the animal justice party details below this episode so that anybody can get in touch with you or the animal justice party or or any or get involved in the way that they want to. Absolutely wonderful. Um, thank you for being here, and I'm sure we'll be wanting to invite you again to see where you're up to.

SPEAKER_01 36:34

I'd love to, Trish, anytime. Thank you so much for everything that you're doing as well. And I'll definitely speak to you again very soon.

SPEAKER_03 36:40

Heartfelt thank you to Amanda Dawn for sharing her insight, passion, and dedication to animal welfare and compassionate governance. I hope today's conversation inspires you to consider how your choices and voice can make a difference for animals, people, and the planet.

SPEAKER_04 36:56

The Florida Everglades at Night. A dark wilderness full of hunting glow-eyed alligators, snakes, elves, and mosquitoes. Help us out of the swampy, muddy puddle of podcast obscurity and into the daylight endazzlement. The fresh, rolling, grassy hills of podcast notability by downloading us. Takes a moment, but helps so much. But up next, what does the animal think?

SPEAKER_03 37:35

What does the animal think? You might think they like it, do they really? Today I want to share a story that's incredibly close to my heart. And it's also a story that showcases just how life-changing the right care for an animal can be. It's the story of Lucas, a little rescue cat from Sydney, Australia, and the team who helped him start a brand new chapter in Perth. The heroes of this journey are the incredible people at Jet Pets. Now, if you've ever moved home yourself, you know how stressful it can be. But imagine doing it as a cat, in a crate, crossing the country, surrounded by unfamiliar sounds and smells. It's a huge deal for any animal, and that's why choosing the right transport team can make all the difference. Let me take you back to the very start. Lucas came into our care, a beautiful little soul with a gentle nature, with a past unknown. He needed a fresh start, and that fresh start was waiting for him in Perth. But that raised the big question how do we get him safely from one side of Australia to the other? That's where jet pets came in. From the very first phone call, I knew we were dealing with people who get animals. Not just as logistics, but as individuals, as family members, as beings who deserve to feel safe, calm, and care for. Jet pets treated Lucas's move like a personalized gentle journey, not a transfer. But after all, you'd think a trip like that would leave a cat stressed, panting, hiding in the back of the crate, overwhelmed. But when jet pets are involved, not even close, jet pets treat every animal as if they were their own. And I'll never forget the moment I saw Lucas in Perth. The door opened, his crate came out, and there he was, bright eyed, calm, curious, completely unfazed. I honestly had to laugh. Because if you didn't know he'd just flown across the country, you'd swear he's simply taken a ten minute car ride. That's the jet pet difference. When I lifted him into the car and began driving him to his new home, he settled instantly. He looked so happy. No trembling, no stress. Just a relaxed, trusting little cat, ready to meet his new family. And that's why I'm so grateful to jet pets. When you're responsible for an animal, especially a rescue, you carry their well being in your hands. There's no room for mistakes, no room for rough handling, no room for close enough is good enough. Jet pets understand that. They understand that animals feel everything, the stress, the movement, the energy, and they go above and beyond to make that journey not just safe, but genuinely comfortable. Choose jet pets first time or every time, no matter where in the world the journey takes you. Approved by Lucas the Cat. Next up, Animal News with Trisha and Donna.

SPEAKER_02 40:53

Oh, I can't wait to talk about this story. Did you see the article about the cat thief?

SPEAKER_00 41:01

Yes. Right. It's pretty cool.

SPEAKER_03 41:04

What a cool cat. It is pretty cool, but it's a Burmese cat, and apparently he's stealing items from other people, not in his house. So, in other words, he leaves his house at certain times and he goes out and he steals things from other people's, I don't know, houses, backyards. Let's talk about it. But he steals a whole range of things, but he brings them back home, you know? He brings them back home for his people. So I think this is a really interesting story, and I think we should have a chat about it. I mean, obviously, I suppose not everybody's cat does that, and that's why it makes the news or, you know, a big article or whatever. But I know that there'll be people in our audience that have had cats do this. However, they may be talking a little bit more about rodents or other creatures, which is sad, but it it will they might be bringing them home. So cats do have a purpose for doing this. So let's let's talk about it, Dana. Let's talk about it. So, what's your take on um this cat who's doing all this? Uh so we're gonna tune in to the cat and give you a give you his view.

SPEAKER_00 42:29

Oh, good old Leo. He's so cool. And I love his name. They've called him Leonardo da Pinci. That's his nickname for everything he steals. But the first things first that I get from him is that these are special. These are his treasures that he goes far and wide for these. And they're not his people's stuff, they're his stuff. So it's quite funny when they feel the need to go back and return them, obviously, because he's taken them from people and he's going, Well, if you just keep taking them, I'm going to keep getting more. Um, it's quite incredible. And it's great. I think it's a little bit of a relief to not be having, you know, rodents or live snakes or anything like that in there. I think I'd prefer somebody's underwear instead than finding a life snake in my house, don't you?

SPEAKER_03 43:11

Well, look, absolutely. Um, and and look, I've got heaps of stories on the live snakes and the rodents and everything else. But these particular items are underwear, socks, clothing, you know, like shorts and all sorts of things. So he's obviously got a little bit of a fetish for uh clothing. Now, when I tune into him, he is very, first of all, he said, Do you know the skill it takes to get these? Right? So he he wants to be acknowledged for that. He wants to be acknowledged for the skill that it takes because he has to go far and wide and he's selective. You know, he he's not just going to take anything that just becomes available. It has to have the right texture, it has to be the right, because I said to him, some of Those articles are quite large. How do you manage it? And he said, Nothing is too difficult for me. So he sees himself as quite the hunter, even though it's a close, uh, quite the hunter, and he brings it home. Now, this is a little bit of a message for the people who have him, Leo, uh, because he said, Look, I like to pull my weight at home. And he said, I am displaying what a good provider I am. I can bring anything you need, and I can bring it home, but it's my contribution. That's why he's saying it's my stuff, because that's his contribution. Because he said, I always hear my people what they do, and you know, how they do this, and I feed you, and you know, I give you this and I give you that. Yeah, well, I'm actually doing a lot as well, and I'd like the same recognition. Now, you know, I think we need to think about that across the board, Donna, of all uh let's just we're just staying with cats right now, but all the cats, because there's been many a time and and and a consultation with somebody's cat that has brought this up at being a provider. And also, okay, let's just go one step further because Leo said I started bringing home smaller things, I started bringing home many things. They were quite overwhelmed in the beginning, but then it became a bit usual, and that's why things got bigger and better. And I want everyone to remember that with their cats, because you know, there was a particular person that came to me about his cat bringing in uh rats and dead mice and laying them at his back door. And unfortunately, um, and this happens to many people, by the way, and of course they're disgusted, and ooh, they're holding it up like ooh, stinky poo, and they throw it in the bin. Now, if somebody brought you flowers, even if you didn't like them, would you throw them in the bin in front of someone? Wouldn't be doing that in front of someone. No, and would they be do giving you flowers again, Donna? Now you think about that. So what happens is the poor cat goes, well, obviously they didn't really like that. So they bring sometimes a rodent in the house, and sometimes they dismember it because they think you need help and they're trying to feed you, they're trying to give you some sustenance, and they thought maybe you didn't know how to dissect it. So they've done it for you. This then discusses people more, and the cat gets thrown out. And I always warn people and say that if you don't praise the cat and say, Thank you so much, I love what you've done for me, it'll get bigger and harder. And what happens is they'll usually bring home a live predator, and snakes are usually on the agenda. Sometimes, and I know that there'll be many in our audience who've experienced this, they'll be in the middle of the night, sound asleep you are. Your cat jumps on the bed and you think, oh, just give them a cuddle, and all of a sudden there's a mouse loose under your sheets. And and of course, everyone's screaming, everybody leaves the bed, and the cat says, Well, that's a nice how do you go? How do you do? They've they've all run off and left me, and they're screaming. And sometimes they can see it as excitement, but usually because cats are so smart, they know that for some reason you weren't pleased with that. So be careful because the next time you go to sleep, it may be a rat or a snake.

SPEAKER_00 47:42

It's definitely a nice way to wake up, isn't that?

SPEAKER_03 47:46

I just think it's hilarious. And we should honor anyone who gives us a gift, no matter what it is, Donna. And by doesn't matter who gives it to us or what it is, if it's meant in the right intention as a gift, it's not your cat trying to annoy you. It's not your cat trying to aggravate you and see if they can get you angry. It's actually cats often like to take care of us. Sometimes they think you need all the help you can get. So they bring home some really lots of goods. They go out and it's really hard work catching these things. All right. So I just want to say the quicker you have appreciation for your cat, the quicker they will feel they don't need to do it. So hopefully, Dana, that's never happened to you where you found something in your bed.

SPEAKER_00 48:32

No, thankfully not. I don't have cats, so I've never had to deal with that kind of drama. However, my boy has definitely brought in every now and again something special. Not intentionally, but something special. So it's it's great. It's absolutely great to see uh the way that they can do this and how much they're trying to look after us. And I love that it comes from, well, it doesn't look like you know how to take care of yourself, so I'll do it for you.

SPEAKER_03 48:57

Well, maybe it's, you know, we think cats have a bad attitude, but maybe it's our attitude of always saying, I give you food and I give you this and I give you that. It's always a thought for what your animal gives you and what you get out of it. Because honestly, I couldn't do without animals. I think they're the best thing ever. So let's start a major appreciation for cats, even for Leo, and for his very adventurous activities. Wonderful. And keep it up, keep up the good work, Leo. But I'm sure there's a lot of people who have things missing off their clothesline, who have their things missing out the back on the veranda. I'm very sorry for that, but I'm sure that if you find out where Leo lives and you live nearby, I'm sure you'll find it. So you know what? Everything ends well and it's always a happy ending. And as always, thank you for tuning into Animal Talk. Don't forget to follow, share, and join us. But until next time, take what you've learned, act with heart, and make a difference.