One World, One Health (OWOH) recognises that the health of people and societies is intimately linked and ultimately dependent on the resilience of the world's life-supporting ecosystems.

This model achieves optimal health for people, animals and the environment. We can integrate ecosystems, human and animal health and food security to provide clean, safe and climate resilient places for all of us. 

My life and career has been spent striving to improve the lives of our most vulnerable citizens. This has inevitably led me to call for improvements to the laws and practices that apply to the protection of our communities’ most powerless and voiceless creatures – the animals that share our homes, our lives and our planet.

Being an elected Member of the Western Australian (WA) Parliament has allowed me to challenge the status quo to improve how law makers, industry and individuals care for companion, livestock and wild animals.

I started this work in 2008, when I was first elected into the WA Parliament as a member of the Opposition. In 2017, WA Labor was elected to Government, and I have continued since then to push for improvements.

When I stared this work, I was a lone voice in the major parties in WA state politics. I’m proud that now, in 2024, there is a large, informal animal welfare caucus supported by WA Labor MPs. Together we fight for improvements in animal welfare, their rights, and our responsibilities as their carers.

A brief timeline of my achievements in animal welfare:

2011 – I led an extensive campaign to push back against the WA Liberal Government’s defunding and decommissioning of the WA Animal Welfare Unit.

2015 – My Discussion Paper - ‘Strengthening Animal Welfare in WA’ publicly launched by the Leader of the WA opposition, Mark McGowan.

2015- I campaigned successfully to add “Animal Welfare” and “Live Export” policy commitments into the WA Labor Platform. This was the first time that animal welfare appeared in any Labor Platform in Australia. I have continued to update and modernise the Platform to reflect the changing scientific evidence and social ethics around animal welfare.

2016 – I wrote WA Labor’s “Stop Puppy Farming” policy for the successful 2017 election. This policy has been acknowledged as one of the most successful campaigns ever run by WA Labor.

2017 – The WA Labor State Conference the Party and its membership endorsed my resolution calling for the introduction of a WA Independent Office of Animal Welfare.

2017 – I initiated and hosted “Saving Lives”, an annual event held in the WA Parliament to recognise and thank the thousands of WA volunteers who donated their time and resources to saving the lives of animals and rehoming or releasing them. I invite 150 representatives from rescue and rehoming groups to Parliament to take part in this event.

2017-19 – Co-Chair of WA Greyhound Welfare Group which aimed to introduce better welfare protections for the greyhounds that are trapped in or exiting the racing industry.

CONTINUED:

2018 – Spoke for the first time in the WA Parliament in support of the fledgling Alternative Protein Industry Sector. This new sector aims the reduce our dependence on animal-based protein and introduce more plant based and other non-animal-based proteins sources.

2019 - Chair of the Implementation Working Group for the WA Stop Puppy farming policy.

2021 – I successfully proposed that WA Labor support a new Animal Welfare Small Grants programme. This has delivered over $3AUS million over this term of government to support the work of rescuing and rehoming animals in WA.

2021 – Assisted the Minister to achieve the successful passage of the WA Stop Puppy Farming Act 2021 into law. This Law has been acknowledged as world-wide best practice.

2021 – Successfully removed the Law that required retired/unraced greyhounds to wear muzzles in public.

2021 - I successfully lobbied to instigate a review of the out-of-date WA Animal Welfare Act 2002.

2022 – The Review of the WA Animal Welfare Act was released which includes recommendations to recognise animal sentience, increase the power of inspectors and introduces new remedies for cruelty.

2023- Commenced work with colleagues to call for a review of the code of practice for rodeos and investigate the provision of funding to support rodeos in WA.

2024 – I am excited to continue the work in this space – so wait and see!

During the 16 years of my service to WA I have made it my priority to speak on behalf of the voiceless. This has included many written submissions, public advocacy, consultations, applications and community outreach.

I will never stop fighting to improve the lives of the vulnerable, and most especially, the lives of animals.

One World, One Health Introduction Series (2024)