Parliamentary inquiry into the RSPCA Victoria
The Economy and Infrastructure Committee of the Victorian Parliament led a Parliamentary inquiry into the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) (Victoria) in 2017 in relation to:
- The appropriateness and use of its powers pursuant to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986, including in the context of its other objectives and activities.
- The appropriateness and use of funding provided by the Victorian Government, including in the context of its other objectives and activities.
- Any other consequential matters the Committee may deem appropriate.
The committee's report listed three recommendations and three findings:
- Recommendation 1: That the Victorian Government and RSPCA Victoria provide more transparency, information, and detail with regard to the powers of RSPCA Victoria inspectors under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 (POCTA), and in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between RSPCA Victoria and DEDJTR.
- Recommendation 2: That RSPCA Victoria ensure that it investigates cruelty to commercial animals in emergency situations only, in line with Division 2 of Part 2A of POCTA.
- Recommendation 3: That RSPCA Victoria in consultation with the Victorian Government consider ways to improve engagement and collaboration with animal stakeholder organisations.
- Findings: The findings focus on the RSPCA Victoria's activism role (Findings 1 and 2) and validates that the RSPCA Victoria uses government funds for inspectorate purposes only (Finding 3).
The Victorian Government response to the Parliamentary Inquiry into RSPCA Victoria was tabled in the Victorian Parliament on 14 February 2018. The Victorian Government supported all recommendations in full.
The response highlights that the Victorian Government and RSPCA Victoria are collaborating to improve the transparency, and detail, of information regarding the powers of RSPCA Victoria inspectors.
The department and RSPCA Victoria are working to develop new strategies to improve the engagement and collaboration with, and amongst, animal stakeholder organisations. The Animal Welfare Action Plan is an example of this approach.