Jed Goodfellow is Co-founder and Director of Policy and Government Relations at the Australian Alliance for Animals. He has over 20 years experience in animal welfare law, policy, and advocacy, having previously worked in senior policy, prosecutorial, and enforcement roles with the RSPCA across Australia. Jed completed his PhD in animal welfare law at Macquarie University in 2015 and has taught Macquarie’s Animal Law course on an annual basis since 2012. His research examined the role of agriculture departments in regulating animal welfare and provided an empirical and analytical basis for law reform proposals to establish new animal welfare governance models in Australia.
Institutionalising animal representation: National progress towards independent offices of animal protection
Institutionalising animal representation within government is critical to ensuring their interests are upheld in political decision-making processes. This presentation explores the latest legislative efforts to achieve this through the creation of independent offices of animal protection at the state and federal levels. It will unpack what national and state-based offices of animal protection could look like, how they would operate, and why independence from industry influence is essential for securing effective reform. The session will canvass the latest developments in Alliance’s Fair Go for Animals campaign and pending opportunities for action. Attendees will gain a clear understanding of the road ahead—and why establishing independent offices of animal protection represents one of the most critical pathways to achieving meaningful progress and long-term justice for animals.
