The Australian Greens have a new bill to ban the importation into Australia of live primates for research designed to address the cruel and inhumane trade in intelligent, live primates caught in the wild and sold to a booming research market. 

Senator RHIANNON (New South Wales) (11:54): I move:

That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to amend the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, and for related purposes—Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Prohibition of Live Imports of Primates for Research) Bill 2012.

Question agreed to.

Senator RHIANNON: I present the bill and move:

That this bill may proceed without formalities and be now read a first time.

Question agreed to.

The Australian Greens animal welfare spokesperson Senator Lee Rhiannon has introduced a bill in the Senate to ban the importation of live primates for research. Read the full background brief below.

Blog by Senator Lee Rhiannon

For two weeks in May at the Senate Budget Estimates all Senators had the opportunity to question Ministers and the public sector workers in their departments. The big challenge is not the duration - sessions go from 9 am to 11 pm each day - but to ask the right questions.

Below is a quick tour of Estimate highlights and here you can review all my sessions.

Overseas development

Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee

Estimates hearings, 13 February 2012

Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet

Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee

Estimates hearings, 13 February 2012

Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee

Estimates hearings, 17 October 2011

Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet