Throughout each stage of their life, dairy cows are subject to organised harm. As calves, they are deprived from their mothers and (in respect of male calves and some females) deprived of food for up to 30 hours before they are killed – typically at one week old. Dairy cows are slaughtered when they are no longer productive, after multiple pregnancies. Animal welfare laws in Australia provide unequal protection for different species, with animals used for food expressly excluded from protections that are available to other domestic animals such as companion animals. Dairy Australia exercises their corporate power through funded research and lobbying to keep dairy on dietary guidelines and to counter the consumer turn to plant-based milks.

Join us for this crucial legal workshop, hosted by Deakin University’s Centre for Law as Protection, exploring critical research agendas and legal reform strategies for dairy cow protection.

📅 Date: 14 July 2025
📍 Location: Deakin Downtown, Collins Street
🗣 Keynote Speaker: Philip Wollen OAM

This event brings together legal scholars and animal protection representatives to discuss:
– Dairy cow protection, industry pressures, and community perspectives
– Legal reform initiatives, future pathways, and policy directions
– Emerging alternatives, such as precision fermentation and farmer transition strategies

 

Expert Panels & Discussions
💡 Panel 1: The Regulatory Framework: Dairy Cow Welfare and Consumer Transparency

Speakers include Glenys Oogjes (Animals Australia), Dr Natalie Roadknight (Senior Scientific Officer RSPCA), and Professor Christine Parker (University of Melbourne).

💡 Panel 2: The Future of Dairy Farming and Innovation

Featuring Dr Milena Bojovic (University of Technology Sydney), Professor Clive Phillips (Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute), Dr Leo Bromberg (University of Melbourne) and Dr Peter Johnston (Accredited Practicing Dietitian).

🎥 Special Online Presentation:
Dr Rubén Marciel, University of Geneva (via Zoom).

 

Throughout the workshop, participants will engage in interactive discussions after each panel, culminating in a final collective dialogue to shape advocacy efforts and future research directions.

 

Join us to be part of this crucial conversation – sign up here 

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