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MP Emma Hurst's work for animals 🐾Explore Emma's work in Parliament, ongoing updates and the issues that matter for animals, people and the planet. See her major wins here. 2026OCTOBER★ 15 Oct — Parliament 16 Oct — Campaigns 6 Oct — Parliament 4 Oct — Campaigns SEPTEMBER29 Sep — CampaignsEmma called for a disclosure scheme in NSW that would let people find out whether a partner has a history of domestic violence, similar to Clare’s Law in the UK. Given the well-established link between animal abuse and domestic violence, she said animal abuse should be included too. Emma said the scheme would not be a single solution to domestic violence, but a protective measure that sits alongside the significant change and major funding needed in this space. ★ Emma's September newsletter update. READ HERE 24 Sep — Parliament The NSW Government has agreed to pass Caitlin's Law, a domestic violence reform Emma has been fighting for alongside Caitlin's mother, Kylie Bailey. The law will stop perpetrators of domestic and family violence from automatically becoming senior next of kin when a victim dies, fixing a major loophole. Caitlin's family waited five weeks to hold her funeral after her former partner refused to release her body to them. Emma said people assume the law protects victims and their families in these circumstances but it doesn't, and that "when a law causes harm, governments should fix it." 26 Sep — Parliament Emma spoke in Parliament about how the legal status of animals as property is blocking domestic violence reform. She said industries including factory farming, greyhound racing, animal experimentation and aerial shooting are "suppressing change in domestic violence laws" because they want the law to see animals "as objects, as property." Because animals are legally property, someone leaving a domestic violence situation cannot apply for a custody order for their animal, even though abusers can use animals to threaten, intimidate and control a partner. Emma said this means "up to 70% of people stay in violent situations because they cannot guarantee the safety of their animals if they leave," and that domestic violence reforms should be the priority, not industries that profit from animal abuse. WATCH HERE ★ 25 Sep — Parliament Emma passed amendments to the Government's Bill to make it easier to rent with animals. Tenants will soon no longer have to declare animals on a rental application, and if a landlord unfairly refuses to allow an animal, the animal can stay with the tenant at the property while they challenge the decision at the tribunal. Another amendment requires properties that genuinely can't have animals for specific reasons to be declared in the advertising. Emma said everyone agreed with two of her amendments, noting it took almost eight years to get other politicians to understand the issue. She said the changes will hopefully reduce the number of people experiencing houselessness with animals and animals dumped in rescue centres and pounds, and help people leave violence if they have animals who also need safety. 23 Sep — Parliament "How on earth can we expect GWIC to police the greyhound racing industry, when it cannot even police itself?" Emma asked, as the Privileges Committee examined whether the greyhound racing regulator's delayed and incomplete responses to a 2025 document request from her, relating to bullying and harassment allegations within the agency, constituted contempt of Parliament. The commission's acting chief executive admitted some submissions had been inadequate and delayed, though denied any wilful intent to withhold documents. Emma also questioned why returned documents had named a complainant while redacting some of those under investigation. She said she wanted to see Racing Minister David Harris pull the commission "into line," and that GWIC "should be held to the highest standards around transparency and accountability... instead, it has been nothing but obstructive." Source. ★ 21 Sep — Parliament Emma passed a call for papers that will force the release of documents from the facility that carried out forced smoking experiments on mice. After exposing those experiments and winning a ban on them, Emma said the question remained of what other experiments have been approved at the facility behind closed doors. The documents will show what else has been happening to animals there, and Emma said "the documents are coming. And the secrets are about to be revealed." 16 Sep — Parliament Emma opposed a motion by the National Party to wind back evidentiary requirements for kangaroo culling licences, telling Parliament kangaroos are a keystone species whose behaviour has evolved in step with the Australian environment, and that they hold deep cultural significance for many First Nations people and communities. She said treating the motion's position, prioritising industry over animal welfare, biodiversity, First Nations voices and community sentiment, as reasonable was "a radical position" the House should not accept, and that cruelty is rife under what has been "a rubber stamp process" for these licences. The motion to wind back protections failed. Emma said "the kangaroos won," but that "the fight isn't over," and that kangaroos deserve stronger protections from harm, "not politicians looking for new ways to weaken them. WATCH HERE ★ 8 Sep — Parliament The Upper House inquiry into dingo management in NSW national parks, chaired by Emma, held its first hearing at Parliament House. The Animal Welfare Committee is examining policy frameworks governing dingoes, their cultural significance to First Nations communities, and their genetic profile. Source. 7 Sep — Parliament Emma questioned the Agriculture Minister on why animal welfare legislation protects dogs from being kept in cages too small to turn around in, but not pigs. She called for an Independent Office of Animal Protection with expertise in industry practices such as battery cages, sow stalls and farrowing crates. WATCH HERE AUGUST29 Aug — Campaigns Emma called for stronger legal protections for victim-survivors' counselling records, after learning some survivors have been advised to avoid counselling before trial due to the risk records could later be subpoenaed and used against them in court. She said this amounts to "another form of abuse," and backed the campaign led by survivors including Nina Funnell for reform. 29 Aug — Media The Daily Mail reported that NSW Department of Primary Industries records show welfare complaints against two NSW zoos, including allegations of malnourished animals, koalas removed from trees for paid photographs and a child bitten by a rat, were repeatedly dismissed. Emma called the DPI's handling of the complaints "a major red flag," saying "it just exposes a complete and utter failure within the department" and questioning whether the complaints system and regulator are fit for purpose. She said the DPI has "a major conflict of interest" in investigating animal welfare and called for an independent body to take over these investigations. Source. 27 Aug — Parliament Emma questioned the Racing Minister on why dogs can legally be killed for entertainment in Australia while the practice is widely condemned overseas, saying the question earned her a sharp look from the Minister, unlike any she'd experienced in eight years in politics. WATCH HERE 25 Aug — Campaigns Emma explained the origins of the 2022 reform banning "convenience killing," after discovering some pounds had been built on tip sites and were killing animals for disposal rather than attempting rehoming. She said pounds must now give every animal a chance to find a home and work with local rescue groups, but said councils still need funding to upgrade facilities, and that legal backyard breeding continues to drive pound overpopulation. 19 Aug — Media Unredacted documents obtained through a parliamentary order for papers pursued by Emma revealed the greyhound racing regulator GWIC's former chief commissioner was accused of giving a female staff member an unwanted massage before being sacked, and detailed further misconduct allegations against a senior steward, including racist and sexually inappropriate comments. Emma said the Shooters Party had repeatedly attempted to block the documents' release in the House, and that "today they have lost that battle, and the truth is now released." She said the investigation by her office made clear that "the integrity commission has an integrity issue," asking "so who is looking after the greyhounds?" Source. 19 Aug — Media The Daily Telegraph reported that more than 7,000 brumbies have been killed under the Minns Government's Kosciuszko cull, despite Environment Minister Penny Sharpe maintaining the animals "are not suffering" and die within "five to eight seconds." Emma rejected the claim, saying "thirty seconds is a long time for an animal to suffer after being shot, and that figure conveniently ignores everything that happens before the bullets hit," pointing to the "fear, stress and helicopter pursuit" documented in the Upper House inquiry. She also called on the Government to place cameras on the culling helicopters, asking "why has it refused calls to put cameras on the helicopters and let the public see the evidence for themselves?" Source. 13 Aug — Campaigns Emma highlighted a loophole after following a cruelty case where a man convicted of beating a dog to death was found to be fostering a child. She discovered that cases prosecuted by private charities are often never alerted to the Children's Guardian during Working With Children Checks, and many animal cruelty offences don't trigger automatic rejection or flagging. Emma stepped in and fixed the issue, but questioned why it hadn't been addressed since she was elected in 2019, and said she will continue identifying and fixing gaps in the system to protect children and animals. 6 Aug — Campaigns Emma called for mandatory minimum sentences for serious child abuse and animal abuse offences, saying "slap on the wrist penalties do nothing to protect individuals from further harm." She clarified this would set a baseline rather than remove judicial discretion, and said she has "been left angry hearing weak sentences that favour abusers." 5 Aug — Parliament A report from the parliamentary inquiry into the Licences to Harm Native Animals, chaired by Emma, exposed a hidden government approval system that has allowed millions of native animals to be killed. The report revealed how easily these licences can be obtained and called for urgent reform. The Government is now required to formally respond, with early indications it may be open to reviewing the system. JULY31 Jul — Media Yahoo News reported on photographs of a stallion standing over a dead mare for two hours in Kosciuszko National Park, following the aerial cull. Emma described the images as "absolutely grotesque" and said "we are calling for all lethal measures to stop immediately." She said she agrees horse numbers need to be reduced but disputes that culling is "the most humane way possible," and called fertility control "the only long-term solution being put on the table," noting aerial and ground shooting are short-term because "the horses breed up again to their original numbers very quickly." Source. 24 Jul — Campaigns Lane Cove became the eighth council to ban fur. Emma said fur production involves animals kept in inhumane conditions and killed via methods including anal electrocution or skinning alive, and that it relies on toxic chemicals to stop skins from decomposing. She thanked FOUR PAWS Australia, the local Animal Justice Party volunteer group and Lane Cove community members for their advocacy, and the councillors who moved and supported the motion. 23 Jul — Campaigns Emma highlighted a gap in the enforcement of lifetime bans for convicted animal abusers, noting vets, rescue groups, breeders and pet shops currently have no way of knowing if someone is banned. She pointed to a recent case where a couple found guilty of eight animal cruelty offences included two breaches of an existing ban. She called for a public register so animals can be protected from convicted abusers, saying "the fact that abusers' privacy is prioritised over animal safety is outrageous." 17 Jul — Media An Auditor-General's report found the greyhound racing regulator GWIC's delays in case management led to reduced penalties in serious animal cruelty cases, including one where a dog died. Emma said the report showed GWIC had no credible way to show it is improving animal welfare."One of the most appalling findings is that GWIC's own incompetency resulted in reduced penalties for very serious animal cruelty," she said. “After five reviews since 2016, the government cannot pretend this regulator merely needs another action plan and more time.” Source. 10 Jul — Media The Daily Telegraph reported the court's rejection of a bid to halt the Kosciuszko brumby cull. Emma said the decision was "devastating" and that aerial shooting "remains an inhumane practice." 01 Jul — Media The Daily Telegraph covered graphic footage from the brumby cull. Emma described the cull as a "bloodbath" and renewed calls for the one-dart fertility control method as a humane alternative, saying "this cruelty could absolutely have been avoided." Source. JUNE★ Emma's June newsletter update. READ HERE 27 Jun — Media Emma wrote an open letter to the NSW Environment Minister on the killing of horses in Kosciuszko National Park, and told 7NEWS the government should be trialling fertility control, "not another bloodbath." Source. 25 Jun — Parliament Emma introduced a Notice of Motion in NSW Parliament calling on the Government to invest further in effective, modern, non-lethal shark mitigation technologies to keep beachgoers safe. She noted that experts have repeatedly shown decades of reliance on outdated approaches like shark nets to be ineffective, and that while NSW has begun investing in drones and other non-lethal measures, "much more can be done." She said calls for shark culls "may make headlines, but they won't make our beaches safer," and called for investment in drones, shark deterrents, increased lifeguard patrols and other modern technologies across NSW beaches. WATCH HERE 24 Jun — Campaigns Emma’s investigation uncovered experimentation on baboons, including forced high-salt diets and organ transplants performed "simply to see what will happen." 21 Jun — Community Over 170 AJP members and supporters joined Emma at Glebe Town Hall for Pies & Politics, hearing reflections on what's been achieved for animals and people and the campaigns still ahead. 17 Jun — Campaigns Emma has been working with Kylie, mother of Caitlin, on Caitlin's Law, a reform to next-of-kin laws in cases involving a history of partner violence. The NSW Government has now committed to changing the law. Watch the full 2GB interview: WATCH HERE 13 Jun — Campaigns Documents obtained by Emma revealed a secret facility using taxpayer funding to rent out primates for experimentation, including the stories of baboons Shakira, Klaus and Odette, each killed over minor health issues. WATCH HERE MAY28 May — Campaigns Emma called on the Government to outlaw the maceration of day old male chicks in the egg industry, ahead of in-ovo sexing technology becoming commercially available in Australia from June. 27 May — Campaigns Emma highlighted gaps in proposed animal protection law reforms before Parliament, which would still permit boiling lobsters alive, near-permanent tethering of dogs, and chick maceration, and renewed the call for an Independent Office of Animal Protection. 27 May — Media Emma spoke with ABC Illawarra's Breakfast with Melinda James about aerial culling of brumbies, advocating for fertility dart technology used in the US as a long-term alternative. LISTEN HERE (timestamp 2:20) 21 May — Campaigns Emma renewed calls for fertility control trials for brumbies using one-dart technology, and launched a petition to stop the ongoing aerial culling. ★ 19 May — Parliament A parliamentary inquiry into dingo management in National Parks was confirmed to be conducted by the Animal Welfare Committee, which Emma chairs. 14 May — Campaigns Emma released hidden Government documents about the greyhound racing regulator GWIC, revealing allegations of racist and sexist language and sexual harassment within the organisation. 13 May — Campaigns Emma criticised the approval of a Sydney rodeo event featuring pyrotechnics and motorbike stunts, calling for an urgent overhaul of the 35-year-old NSW Rodeo Code. ★ 05 May — Campaigns Win for kangaroos: advocacy work with Social Compassion in Legislation helped keep California's ban on the sale of kangaroo body parts in place after industry attempts to overturn it. APRIL27 Apr — Campaigns Emma called for the closure of NSW's last dolphinarium, citing ongoing exemptions that allow the facility to operate despite failing to meet minimum animal welfare standards. 16 Apr — Campaigns Emma raised the case of Brutus, a severely emaciated dog bashed to death, whose owner was fined just $4,000 and banned from owning animals for 10 years, calling for mandatory minimum sentencing for extreme animal abuse. 15 Apr — Campaigns Emma raised the case of Daniel Brighton, highlighting that the NSW Government and DPI continued approving his family's animal businesses despite serious ongoing animal cruelty charges. 14 Apr — Parliament Emma spoke in Parliament about the rescue at Ridglan Farms in Wisconsin and campaigners outside MBR Acres in the UK, linking both rescues to failures in animal protection law. WATCH HERE 09 Apr — Parliament Emma spoke in Parliament calling on Californian legislators to hold firm against industry attempts to reverse the ban on selling kangaroo body parts. WATCH HERE MARCH26 Mar — Parliament Emma spoke in Parliament on the more than 40% rise in AFP reports of online child exploitation in a single year, calling for tougher sentencing, real accountability and proper funding for enforcement and survivor support. WATCH HERE 17 Mar — Campaigns Following a guilty verdict against a greyhound trainer on child sexual offences, Emma’s call for papers revealed further issues within the greyhound racing industry, including licensed participants with prior convictions for animal and child sexual abuse. ★ 11 Mar — Campaigns Win for animals: the regulator recommended a ban on cruel SGAR poisons, building on Emma's earlier work with Amazon to end sales of the product. 10 Mar — Campaigns Emma raised concerns that some pounds may still be killing rehomable animals rather than working with rescue groups, in breach of the 2022 reforms banning convenience killing. The Minister has agreed to investigate. WATCH HERE FEBRUARY★ Emma's February newsletter update. READ HERE 12 Feb — Campaigns Emma’s call for papers was passed to uncover what is occurring at a primate breeding facility that rents out baboons for experimentation. WATCH HERE 03 Feb — Campaigns The Government reversed the ban so electric shock collars can be used on cows. Emma is fighting this, moving a disallowance motion in Parliament to stop the cruelty before it starts. ★ 01 Feb — Campaigns $9 million was secured for wildlife care. Wildlife is considered "property of the state" under legislation, but the state leaves the actual care of wildlife to volunteers and vets, who receive little to no funding to cover the cost of saving lives. Emma has been fighting for funding in this space since she was elected, and while this is a good first step, far more, including permanent funding rather than a one-off, is still needed. Emma will keep advocating for that. JANUARY★ 21 Jan — Campaigns Prong collars have been outlawed. Emma said these devices are designed to cause dogs pain around the neck, and that she'd seen graphic images of prong collars cutting through skin and causing serious injuries. She noted animal behaviourists have made clear that positive reinforcement works and negative reinforcement is unnecessary, calling the ban "another long fight, but we got there." As the legislation comes forward, Emma said further changes to animal protection laws will be proposed. ★ 20 Jan — Campaigns New laws will protect animals left in hot cars. Emma noted it takes six minutes for an animal to die in a hot car, and that it took six years of advocacy to convince a Government to make it illegal, saying "our job is hard, but eventually we always win." This will now be outlawed. WATCH HERE |
