Australia

Summary: The purposes of this Act are to promote the responsible care and use of animals; provide standards for the care and use of animals that achieve a reasonable balance between the welfare of animals and the interests of persons whose livelihood is dependent on animals; and to allow for the effect of advancements in scientific knowledge about animal biology and changes in community expectations about practices involving animals; to protect animals from unjustifiable, unnecessary or unreasonable pain; to ensure the use of animals for scientific purposes is accountable, open and responsible.

Summary: The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 (POCTAA) is the primary piece of legislation that aims to protect animals from cruelty in New South Wales, Australia.  POCTAA establishes certain acts or omissions as offences and also provides defences to a charge under the Act in certain circumstances. POCTAA prohibits cruelty and aggravated cruelty generally, as well as a number of other types of activities, including neglect, confinement, abandonment, failure to act in certain circumstances, some transport-related activities, inappropriate use, mutilation, poisoning, torture, fighting and baiting, certain hunting and trapping related activities, selling severely injured animals and failing to take action where an animal is injured by a vehicle.

Summary: The Pest Plants and Animals Act 2005 (Pest Act) creates a system to identify and control potential pest plants and animals in the ACT. It provides a strategic framework for pest management. The objects of the Pest Act are to protect the Australian Capital Territories land and aquatic resources from threats posed by pest plants and animals by identifying, declaring and then managing pest plants and animals.

Summary: An Act to make provision with respect to the conservation and protection of the fauna, flora and geological diversity of the State,   to provide for the declaration of national parks and other reserved   land and for related purposes.

Summary: The Nature Conservation Act 1992 is an act of the Parliament of Queensland that provides for the legislative protection of Queensland's threatened fauna and flora. As originally published, it provided for native animals and plants to be declared presumed extinct, endangered, vulnerable, rare or common. In 2004 the act was amended to more closely align with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources categories: presumed extinct was changed to extinct in the wild and common was changed to least concern.

Summary: An Act to make provision for the protection and conservation of native animals and native plants, and for the preservation of areas for those purposes. The Act creates the office of Conservator of Flora and Fauna and the Australian Capital Territory Parks and Conservation Service.

Summary: An Act to consolidate and amend the law relating to the establishment, preservation and management of national parks, historic sites and certain other areas and the protection of certain fauna, native plants and Aboriginal objects .

Summary: An Act to provide for the establishment and management of reserves for public benefit and enjoyment; to provide for the conservation of wildlife in a natural environment; and for other purposes.

Summary: The purpose of this Act is to control meat and live-stock exports both within and outside Australia. 'Live-stock' includes cattle, calves, sheep, lambs and goats, however this definition is not exhaustive and may include other animals if prescribed. The Act covers export licences, quotas and enforcement. It also outlines the role of industry bodies and policies.

Summary: The objects of this Act are: to provide for the effective management of introduced species of game animals; and to promote responsible and orderly hunting of those game animals on public and private land and of certain pest animals on public land.