Animal advocate aiming for second term

CURRENT Western Victoria upper house MP, Andy Meddick, has been re-endorsed as the Animal Justice Party’s lead candidate in the region.

Mr Meddick was first elected to the Victorian Legislative Council at the 2018 State election with 2.71 per cent of the primary vote.

However, he subsequently slid into the fifth, and last, available seat on preferences leapfrogging a number of candidates that had polled higher.

“It has been a tumultuous four years, and my team and I have achieved a huge number of accomplishments, but our work is not finished,” Mr Meddick said.

“I am committed to returning to parliament and finally putting an end to duck shooting, greyhound and jumps racing and progressing the banning of 1080 poison.”

A statement from the Animal Justice Party said Mr Meddick has had a hand in several key legislative efforts since November 2018.

They include changes to the Wildlife Act and extra money for wildlife rescuers and carers as well as efforts to overhaul the state’s pounds and shelters.

He’s also championed a statewide version of Medicare for animals called Vetcare, and it was introduced to the upper house in early August.

Away from his party’s main issue of animals rights and welfare, Mr Medick claims to have played a hand in the setting up LGBTIQA+ youth safer spaces in the regions, and affected Victoria’s pandemic legislation.

The latter is something an AJP statement said reflected that he was “putting the needs of Victorians ahead of personal agenda and proving he is capable of making tough decisions in a crisis.”

Even though Mr Meddick is the only AJP member in either house of Victorian Parliament, he said his “re-election [is] essential to making sure that balance is maintained, and that governments stay on course for progressive and humane policy outcomes for all.”

“With just one member of parliament in Victoria, we have achieved more than all the other minor parties in Western Victoria, and I am dedicated to delivering for all my constituents,” Mr Meddick said.

“With more members beside me, we can achieve more, because we are here for the animals, the people and the planet.”

The Victorian State election is set for Saturday, 26 November.