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前言
在澳大利亚，消费者权益和可持续、清洁、绿色食品（包括动物福利标准）已经成为了重大的政治和社会问题。
2018年2月，Mayo 选区的议员Rebekha Sharkie在联邦议会提出了一项议案，试图将市场上的“自由牧场”和“假自由牧场”区分开来。她得快点行动了，因为她很有可能会因为她的外国公民身份被告到最高法院，从而面临补选。
证明先有蛋后有鸡？
Rebekha Sharkie议员计划在2月份议政期间向议会提交她的《2018竞争和消费者修正案（自由牧场鸡蛋）》。
Rebekha想要确保那些在市场上被标注为“自由牧场”生产的鸡蛋，真的来自“自由牧场”。也就是说，牧场里的母鸡在大多数日子里都能够自由活动。
这一项立法试图对标签法作出修正，更严格地规定哪些鸡蛋可以被标为“自由牧场”鸡蛋。
去年，她选区里的一小批“自由牧场”生产者向她表达诉求之后，Rebekha起草了该法案。
牧民们称，他们正在被挤出“自由牧场”市场。因为更大的生产商们都把自己的产品标上“自由牧场”，但他们的饲养条件完全没有满足皇家防止虐待动物协会（RSPCA）和国际人道协会（Humane Society International）推荐的国际标准。
Rebekha表示，如果消费者们知道所谓的“自由牧场”鸡蛋并不是来自真正的“自由牧场”，他们可能会很惊讶。
在Dungog LGA发生的Chichester大坝大火烧毁了858公顷的土地，其中有249公顷是私有土地，摧毁了农村地区土地以及水资源。
澳大利亚的“自由牧场”定义太广泛了。
你在澳大利亚买到的“自由牧场”鸡蛋如果放在英国或者欧洲其他国家，根本不会被标为“自由牧场”。
而这样导致最终的结果是，消费者的期待并没有被满足，而那些小生产商承受了经济损失。
增加透明度
Rebekha希望所有消费者在购物的时候都能了解所有的相关信息，在知情的情况下做出选择。
这项法案还有一个额外的好处，就是小生产商会因此受益。
哪些法案会进入议会的讨论和投票流程，是由政府决定的。
然而，一旦提交了法案，Rebekha会开始游说内阁部长和偏远地区议员们支持该法案。
Rebekha会和新的农业和水资源部长David Littleproud谈话，还会和助理部长Anne Ruston谈话。
为了让她的法案进入议会辩论和投票流程，Rebekha还会寻求反对党成员以及中立议员的支持。
《2018竞争与消费者修正案（自由牧场鸡蛋）》寻求：
确保被标记为“自由牧场”的鸡蛋真的来自自由牧场。即牧场里的母鸡在大多数日子里，都能够并且确实在开放的牧场里自由活动。
确保被标记为“自由牧场”的鸡蛋来自满足一定动物福利标准的牧场。即牧场里公鸡和母鸡的饲养密度不能超过每公顷1500只，并且饲养密度必须以“只/公顷”的形式显著地标注在鸡蛋的标签上。
让那些既不是来自笼子饲养的母鸡也不满足自由牧场定义的鸡蛋能够被标注为“牧场鸡蛋”。
说完了“自由牧场”鸡蛋的问题，现在该说说鸡的问题了。因为一些动物福利领域的游说团体也都开始关注鸡的问题了。
鸡肉问题
在对禽类和鸡肉生产的动物福利标准和方针进行公共讨论的过程中，全国农业生产者协会（NFF）很关心禽类问题，主张鸡肉工业应该遵循规定的流程。
澳大利亚的一些州政府发布了一些报告，表示可能会禁止某些禽类和鸡肉的养殖生产方式。此后NFF表示了关注。在这里我们必须记得，塔斯马尼亚州和南澳州马上将进行州选举，还可能会有一些补选。
动物福利团体会利用选民的支持，在这些选举中大力进行宣传活动。因此，理性的辩论对于那些想要组建政府或者维持现有政府职位的人来说尤为重要。
NFF希望不要有任何对鸡蛋或鸡肉的禁令
NFF主席Tony Mahar表示，目前各方磋商仍在进行中，但是一些部门的报告却已暗示禁令将会出台，这是令人感到担忧并且对现状是没有任何帮助的。
我们要提醒所有考虑采取这种措施的州政府，一定要遵循透明的、实用主义的流程。
政府的禁令会给农民、社区和消费者带来很严重的后果。
Mahar先生表示，只有建立公正合理的标准和方针，才能保证禽类和鸡肉工业生产者们采用适当的、科学的生产方式。
“原文”
Egg labelling laws now， chicken next？
Consumer rights are a big political and social issue， as are sustainable， clean green food， including animal welfare standards in Australia。
A Private Member‘s Bill seeking to separate true “free range” eggs from “fake range” eggs in the marketplace is being introduced to Federal Parliament this February 2018 by the Member for Mayo Rebekha Sharkie。
She will have to be quick， as she may be referred to the High Court and face a by-election， like so many recently on grounds of her possible foreign citizenship status。
Proving the egg comes before the chicken？
The Nick Xenophon Team MP plans to lodge her Competition and Consumer Amendment （Free Range Eggs） Bill 2018 when Parliament returns in February。
Rebekha wants to make sure that when consumers go into a store and buy eggs that have been marketed as “free range” that they really are buying eggs laid by hens that move freely during daylight hours on most days。
The legislation seeks to amend the labelling laws to tighten what can and cannot be marketed as “free range”。
Rebekha drafted the Bill after being approached last year by small-scale “free range” producers in her electorate。
Growers claimed they were being squeezed out of the “free range” market because bigger producers were marketing their eggs as “free range” when their growing conditions fell short of internationally observed standards recommended by the RSPCA and the Humane Society International。
If people doing their shopping on a Saturday morning knew how “free range” was currently defined， they would be very surprised， Rebekha said。
The Government recently signed off on a definition that is intentionally broad。
The “free range” eggs you buy in Australia wouldn’t be considered “free range” in the UK， or in Europe。
The end result is that consumer expectations are not being met and small egg producers who are hurting financially。
The goal is to promote transparency
Rebekha just wants everyone doing their shopping to have all the relevant information， so they can make an informed choice。
The bonus of this legislation is that it will benefit small egg producers。
It is upto the Government to decide which legislation is debated and voted on in Parliament。
However， once the Bill is lodged， Rebekha will begin advocating Ministers and regional MPs for its adoption。
Rebekha will be talking to the new Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources， David Littleproud and she will be talking with Assistant Minister Senator Anne Ruston as well。
Rebekha will also be looking for support from members of the Opposition and the Cross-Bench to get this Bill debated and voted on in Parliament。
The Competition and Consumer Amendment （Free Range Eggs） Bill 2018 seeks to：
Ensure eggs marketed as ‘free range’ are eggs laid by hens that are able to， and do in fact， move freely on an open range during daylight hours on most days。
Ensure eggs marketed as ‘free range’ are laid from chickens， hens subject to a stocking density of no more than 1，500 hens per hectare， and that the stocking density information is displayed on egg labels prominently in a ‘hens per hectare’ format。
Enable eggs that are not cage-eggs but do not meet the definition of free range to be marketed as ‘access to range’。
So much for the “free range” egg issue， but it now is heading for the chicken。 As advocacy groups in the animal welfare scene are calling out chicken issues。
Now the chicken！
The National Farmers‘ Federation （NFF） is concerned for the poultry， chicken industry to be afforded due process， during thepublic consultation on the Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for poultry， chicken production。
The NFF has issued the concern， following reports of potential bans on poultry， chicken farming methods by state governments in Australia。 We must remember here， that Tasmania and South Australia are due to have state elections shortly， and as mentioned there will be some by-elections。
Animal welfare groups will be campaigning strongly in these elections for their case that finds resonance across the voting public。 This makes having a rational debate important for the parties that seek to form or retain government。
NFF hopes， no bans on egg or chicken！
It is concerning and unhelpful that statements have been made in some jurisdictions， while the consultation process is underway， insinuating that bans may occur， NFF Chief Executive Mr Tony Mahar said。
We would caution any government contemplating any such measures to allow an informed and pragmatic process to take place。
These are very serious threats that carry very serious consequences for farmers， communities and consumers。
Mr Mahar indicated meaningful engagement with the standards and guidelines was the only way to ensure that appropriate and scientifically validated， measures took place within the poultry， chicken industry。
How do you see the egg and or chicken question？
A。 Ban offenders？
B。 Give time to change？
C。 No penalty？
D。 Freedom to choose？
Please leave a comment to explain your stance！
作者Author：Roger Hausmann -Federal Parliamentary Journalist澳洲联邦记者
本文翻译Translator：周吉吉Julie
本文编辑Editor：千千Coco
本文作者系新浪国际旗下“地球日报”自媒体联盟成员，授权稿件，转载需获原作者许可。文章言论不代表新浪观点。
