What would you like to see changed in 2016?

Ah long time no post! Hello again!

Well... I would like:

better advocacy for a vegan diet
more exposure of laws in Australia which do not protect animals (especially farming)
shut downs of all fur farms
the banning of primate testing worldwide
better advocacy for entertainment animals (such as whales, monkeys, elephants etc.)

Thanks Amy!!

My summary of thoughts would be...
1. Make 2016 the year of raising awareness about: pigs and ducks.
2. Maintain the pressure on the: egg and greyhound industries.

My longer version (thinking as I typed) follows...

One focus that makes sense to me is in areas of interstate inconsistencies... Anywhere where some state governments have better laws/regs than others - seems a good opportunity for pressure on the laggards. I wouldn't really include the ACT in that as other states don't really see it as their comparison-counterpart so much, but things like: Jumps racing, duck shooting, puppy farms(?)...

Next, I reckon yep keep the pressure on about greyhounds since that's seems a tipping point.

At the federal government level -- I am wondering when the time to get serious again about banning cosmetics tested on animals might be. It's something that Labor were open to - and I'm not sure whether it'd be wise to invest in that issue while the Libs are in...  

Was it at all frustrating to expend the big campaign funds on Live Exports while the Libs were in this year?? I think - Barnaby Joyce in Ag will mean little seriously moves there for (?) a while (?). Sure it's abbbbssssolutely abbbhorrent, but it's an issue where the Fed government has a paramount influence. It's not a "consumer choice" issue for Australians - so unless it changes something... (And then, in what way is the most effective strategy).

By comparison, the Feds have been looking into the issue of caged eggs. And they recently sought views about labelling etc from the community, so I think keep the community awareness in that area and also -- work to widen their lens to pigs...

The community is getting more aware of chickens (good work), but I really think pigs are the next area to build awareness. Asking people, "so - we see some cows and sheep on the country hillside paddocks - where dya reckon all the pigs are?" ...

Also, it concerns me greatly that people eat intensively farmed ducks. The way ducks are intensively farmed are if anything worse than chickens. They don't have access to water and it's just yuck yuck yuck. But many people think that when they buy duck at a restaurant (because people tend to purchase duck from restaurants), that it's not from intensive farming. Animal Lib NSW have been doing some work on this - but a national effort may be good?

I also reckon with food - mmmmaybe pick some big supply chains like schools and hospitals and hospices and big organisations (?), to ensure there are really excellent options for people in them (for short or long times) who don't want to eat animals or just like the look of the veg option/s today. Just a thought anyway.

Ok. Thanks again.

Raise awareness on -
-enviro effects of farming, cattle and livestock.
-polution
-over population
-animal testing
-fur/leather industry

P.s. regarding pigs -- I just read this about bacon:

“Australians eat 6.3 kilograms of bacon a year, but few realise 75 per cent of the bacon sold here is made from imported pork. … The imported pork Australian smallgoods companies use to make bacon comes mostly from EU countries such as Denmark and the Netherlands. ..." Read more:

http://www.abc.net.au/landline/content/2015/s4258862.htm

I didn't know that (good to know). So yeah that's highly relevant too

The list is endless but -as a starting point- I would like to see the media, schools and other means of public education/ information take on the task of promoting better knowledge and understanding of the natural world, its wisdom and role within the Universe we share.
There is for example much ignorance and misconceptions re even domestic and companion animals, in theory closest to us among all species.

The unknown is generally feared. Fear creates the urge to control, subjugate or eliminate.There is separation, not connection.
Not recognizing animals as sentient beings makes it easier to dismiss them as mere commodity.
The system thrives on public ignorance. When it comes to our animal relatives, even language promotes distancing. At the dinner table, a calf becomes "veal", its parents
" beef". Pigs turn into " pork". And so a once living, bouncy creature full of personality becomes a thing, an item available for human consumption.
Supermarkets display meat (not flesh !) which has been skinned, cut, packaged, dyed, lighted in such a way as to disguise its source beyond recognition. Not much in common with your average road kill or freshly slaughtered animal.

I would like to see a reaching out across this ignorance-created gap. Knowledge leads to understanding. Understanding gives rise to compassion. Our ailing world needs this healing...a quantum leap in awareness. No change is possible without it.

We share with animals the same basic instincts and emotions.
Like us, animals feel joy, grief, pleasure and distress etc...Only the application of these same feelings differ, simply because a rabbit's life is different from human life. The instinct which compels people to lock the house on departure will have a dog growl behind the gate at a stranger's approach.
A bit more humility and reconsideration of our self-proclaimed "superiority" would help narrow this gap. Those of us who strive to understand the animal world are well aware of the fact that in many respects (for example when it comes to long term intelligence !) they have it all over us. Our cherished "sophistication" often only serves to get us into  self-inflicted strife.