Northern Territory Second Reading Speeches

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CRIMINAL CODE AMENDMENT BILL (NO 3) 2003

(This an uncorrected proof of the daily report. It is made available under the condition that it is recognised as such.)

Mr MALEY (Goyder): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I move that the bill now be read a second time. The purpose of the bill is self-evident by the straightforward terms in which it has been drafted. I am indebted once again to Parliamentary Counsel for their assistance in preparing this amendment to the Northern Territory Criminal Code. The proposed bill is to be inserted after part 5, division 1 of the Northern Territory Criminal Code quoting a new division headed 1A, Offences against public conscience. The new section 125AA ‘Possession etc, of dog and cat furs’ will specifically make it an offence punishable by imprisonment for two years, any person who possesses, manufactures or sells any dog or cat fur product in the Northern Territory.

Members will no doubt be aware that a fur trade exists in some parts of Europe and Asia where domestic cats and dogs are bred in captivity in an inhumane and cruel circumstances, then slaughtered in an inhumane way for the sole purposes of procuring their furs. The dog and cat furs are then sold into some of the fashion houses in Europe, America and there is some evidence that this has already occurred in Australia in our eastern states. Some countries have moved to outlaw this type of trade and Darwin as the gateway to Asia is potentially an entry point for this type of product.

Honourable members will note that pursuant to subsection 2 of the proposed bill, the simple offence as it applies to possession of domestic cat and dog pelts, does not apply to the possession for possession of those products of a personal pet that is deceased including those preserved through taxidermy. It is also a specific defence to a prosecution for an offence against this section if the defendant proves that the dog or cat fur was obtained entirely from feral animals. Then of course there is a feral cat pelt industry, albeit very small one in the Northern Territory; there is a fellow who sells these cat furs, they are purely feral and they are in a completely different category from the type of conduct that this bill is aimed at.

Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, the bill would send a message to those members of the community who have or are considering engaging this inhumane harvesting of dogs, puppies, cats and kittens for their furs. There has been reports of some coats being on sale made up of up to 20 Dalmatians puppies, out of their furs and ...

Dr Toyne: It is the 101 Dalmatian bill.

Mr MALEY: Sorry, German shepherd puppies.

Mr Kiely: You watch too many Walt Disney movies.

Mr MALEY: And Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, just for the sake of honourable members who I suspect will ...

Mr Kiely: Well, what about poodles? What about poodles, I ask you?

Members interjecting.
Mr MALEY: I won’t go into the - Acting Deputy Speaker, for the information honourable members, the bill is effectively distilled from the Dog and Cat Protection Act 2000 from the United States and certainly been litigated and there are lots of laws on it in that particular jurisdiction. Mr Acting Deputy Speaker I commend the bill to honourable members.

Debate adjourned.

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