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The High Court has dismissed a judicial review of the legality of rodeo events.
The review was sought by the New Zealand Animal Law Association (NZALA) and animals rights organisation SAFE into how the government went about re-issuing the Rodeo Code of Welfare in 2018.
The two organisations say the rodeo code violates the Animal Welfare Act.
In his July 29 dismissal, Justice Churchman found there were errors and procedural defects in the government process. However, he declined to make a ruling, saying the proper place to challenge the legality of rodeo would be during a consultation process run by the advisory group, the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC).
NAWAC had asked for the court proceedings to be adjourned as it advised it was starting consultation on a new Code of Welfare.
It anticipates the new code will be in place by December.
NZALA and SAFE say they will now take their concerns to the NAWAC through the consultation process.
“It shouldn’t take legal action from charities to prompt NAWAC into action,” SAFE chief executive officer Debra Ashton says. “We would urge them to not delay this review any further.”
However, delays look inevitable. NAWAC says it is still in the pre-consultation phase and is expecting to start consultation later this year.
Warkworth Rodeo president Marty Westlake says he was aware of the but felt it was more about SAFE being unhappy with Government rather than having any real impact on the Warkworth Rodeo.
While Covid restrictions prevented the rodeo from being held over the last couple of years, Westlake says he is looking forward to seeing the event go ahead next year on January 1 as usual.
