Robyn Soxsmith - Lead Senate Candidate

As a progressive voice for animals and the environment in the ACT, Robyn Soxsmith says she is proud to stand as the Animal Justice Party ACT candidate for The Senate in the upcoming Federal Election.

The Animal Justice Party was established in 2009 in response to growing public concern over the abuse, harm, and mistreatment of animals across Australia.  It aims to give a political voice to animals, to use Australia’s political system to protect animals, and to encourage political parties to adopt animal-friendly policies.

A long-time Kambah resident, Ms Soxsmith has been a dedicated advocate for animals and social justice causes for more than 25 years.  Now retired from the federal public service, she devotes her time and experience to volunteering – running a women’s community social group, advocating for the LGBTQIA+ community, and sitting on animal advocacy committees.

“It is time for the Australian Government to take animal protection seriously, and to legislate a permanent end to the slaughter of our native wildlife,” Ms Soxsmith said.

The Animal Justice Party’s MPs, members, and volunteers lobby for stronger and more meaningful animal protection laws, adequate funding and training for animal welfare law enforcement and increased penalties for convicted animal abusers; for better regulations around the trade of farm and companion animals and the protection of wild animals and for better education and awareness of the treatment of animals.

“We understand the way to do this is to support sustainable and ethical practices that raise the status of animals, strengthen our economy, lower our healthcare costs and ensure we create a bright future for our animals and our children.”

The recent cyclone, bushfires and floods right across Australia has finally got people’s attention on climate change.  This climate induced weather and global warming has also had a devastating impact on Australia’s biodiversity.  Ms Soxsmith says “Action to repair the loss of ecological functioning on the Australian landscape must now be a priority.  With most of these events becoming uninsurable.  There is no issue as important to all other issues as climate change”.

If elected, I will prioritise:

• putting pressure on the Commonwealth Government to decarbonise the economy and stop land clearing as a matter of urgency;
• ensuring full implementation of the legislated ban on live animal exports, and extending it to all live animal exports;
• invoking existing international agreements to properly protect all Australia’s native wildlife, not just threatened species;
• establishing a Commonwealth Independent Animal Protection Agency to identify policy and legislative gaps in State and Territory laws, to support animal wellbeing, and to oversight the development and amendment of laws for protecting animals;
• Introducing Animal Justice Party’s Veticare policy for affordable veterinary care for low-income, disabled and disadvantaged people, including helping homeless and domestic family violence pet owners access overnight shelters and/or refuges