Bridges Simon: Animal Welfare Amendment Bill — Third Reading 
Bridges Simon: Animal Welfare Amendment Bill — Third Reading 
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SIMON BRIDGES (National—Tauranga) 
: 
 Damien O’Connor the previous speaker asked: “What about the people?” I say to Damien O’Connor that 99.9 percent of the bills that come to this House are all about the people. Arguably this one the Animal Welfare Amendment Bill is as well in some ways—I may get to that. I want to be very clear to the member that we are not in a general debate right now where we could do point-scoring. I came to this House to talk about the Animal Welfare Amendment Bill and animal welfare and that is what I am going to do. 
The latest contemporary research continues to confirm that animals are much smarter than we give them credit for. They are much more like us than we have historically thought. I have heard someone say that they are much smarter than Damien O’Connor but that would be cruel. There are differences between humans and animals. Animals have not devised as many ways as humans to be cruel and inhumane. In the first reading debate I went through last year’s SPCA list of shame. It listed 50 of the worst cases of animal cruelty we have seen in this country. I will not read it again. The range of sickening bloodcurdling acts is abhorrent to us but it makes one wonder who really does deserve the title of “animals” sometimes. The short point is this: humans can be cruel and sadistic. This bill addresses that in relation to animals and it gets tough in relation to animal cruelty. 
I will briefly do a couple of things this afternoon. I will recount the passage of this legislation then very briefly summarise the law as it will be. The passage of this bill is worth telling. In only a few months we in this Parliament with the support of the SPCA and other animal lovers have made some pretty big changes to animal cruelty laws. I know some—Sue Kedgley amongst them—will argue that we should do more and that is a legitimate debate to have. Nevertheless I do not think that anyone could argue in this House that we have not taken justice for animals much further in this bill than we have previously. As some members may know I was approached by an SPCA Auckland board member—other SPCA members have also talked to me—about reform. It quickly became very clear to me that change was required. Despite the frequency of heinous acts towards animals in this country before this bill less than 3 percent of prosecutions resulted in imprisonment. The most common penalty was a fine. At the time that this bill came to the House we may have seen something of a change already with the publicity surrounding the bill but at that time less than 10 people ever had been to— 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Fewer than 10 people. 
SIMON BRIDGES 
: —I thank the member—fewer than 10 people ever had gone to prison for animal welfare offending. 
Throughout much of this I have liaised with the Minister of Agriculture David Carter. I thank him and I acknowledge him for taking this bill on and substantially improving and widening it. Becoming a Government bill has made it an absolute priority bill. By the end of today we will have done something very strong and positive for animals and against animal cruelty in this country. I turn to the law. We are not getting a law that simply lifts the maximum penalty for the wilful ill-treatment of animals from 3 to 5 years as my member’s bill would have done. That would have been a good start it would have made some difference and it would have achieved my goals of raising public awareness and sending a message. However with this bill we are getting much much more thanks to the Minister of Agriculture the Prime Minister and ultimately everyone in this Parliament. We are getting a substantially strengthened law that simplifies and rationalises offences increases offence penalties across the board and does more to protect the welfare of animals. There was if I am frank the possibility that my member’s bill would have had a more symbolic than real effect. Our Government bill will certainly do more than that. It will improve the law across the board. 
As I say I take the view that this bill is in some respects historic. We have all—123 members of this Parliament— 
Hon Darren Hughes 
: 122. 
SIMON BRIDGES 
: —122—with different backgrounds— 
Hon Darren Hughes 
: He’s got dumber with the glasses. 
SIMON BRIDGES 
: It is hard to give a serious speech with some of those members across the other side of the House. Members with different views and different approaches—122 MPs whether Green ACT or other—are voting for this bill. In other words the entire Parliament of New Zealand is coming together on this legislation and is reaching a consensus against animal cruelty. In conclusion this year the Government is doing something great for animals and against animal cruelty. I commend this bill to the House.