By Sarah Halfpenny
A HASTINGS woman who channelled her passion for animal welfare into grassroots activism has successfully brought a decade-old animal protection bill closer to reality.
Tracey Asquith’s petition calling on the Victorian government to introduce the draft Animal Care and Protection Bill was tabled in Parliament by Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell on 2 April.
Last year, Asquith heard about horses at 550 Moorooduc Highway in Mt Eliza being kept in terrible conditions and dying from neglect. The discovery spurred her to act. She created social media posts, organised protests at Parliament House and the RSPCA’s head office in Burwood, and ultimately launched the parliamentary petition.
“I went online, looked up how you do it, and wrote up a petition saying I wanted the draft Animal Care and Protection Bill, which has been languishing for the last 10 years, to be tabled so it could be discussed and debated,” she said.
The petition reached 10,410 signatures – more than enough to trigger parliamentary debate.
Purcell agreed to sponsor the petition and has been instrumental in moving it forward. “She’s been nothing but supportive. She was the one who tabled it, and she’s the one who will lead the debate,” Asquith said.
Purcell said the petition represents “a huge step in holding the Allan government to account for its betrayal of every animal in our state.” She noted that under current legislation, “authorities don’t have the power to intervene in many cases of blatant animal cruelty and neglect such as the ongoing battle to save the Mt Eliza horses.”
The bill will now be listed for discussion and debate in an upcoming sitting week of Parliament. The Victorian government committed to animal welfare reform a decade ago, but the legislation has stalled. These laws would replace the outdated Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
“This petition will now be debated in the parliament later this year and it will force the government to answer why they continue to fail animals,” Purcell said.
Asquith is now running a social media campaign encouraging Victorians to contact their local MPs about the importance of strengthening animal protection laws. She notes that the current legislation is 40 years old and “doesn’t go anywhere near far enough.”
Asquith told The News she sees the petition process as a powerful reminder of how democracy can work for those who persist.
“Getting a parliamentary petition up and over the line is a hard slog, but it works if you put in the effort,” she said. “People have the right to contact their Member of Parliament and say, ‘Look, this is important to me.’ Anyone who cares about animals can join the discussion and the debate. They can put up their suggestions for amendments to the proposed legislation.”
With a state election in November, Asquith believes the public pressure mobilised through local MPs could finally push the government to honour its commitment to animal welfare reform.
First published in the Mornington News – 21 April 2026
