Hon. Amanda Dorn questions the Minister for Agriculture and Food regarding the lack of mandatory heat stress protections for livestock transport, given quantifiable temperature humidity index thresholds. The Minister defends the current guideline-based approach due to the complexity of heat stress factors.

AnsweredQoN 262Legislative Council
Asked
5 May 2026
Portfolio
Agriculture and Food

QuestionView source ↗

Heat stress
262. Hon Amanda Dorn to
the Minister for Agriculture and Food:
I refer to land transport standards, which include heat
stress protections as guidelines and not standards. Temperature humidity index
thresholds for heat stress are scientifically and quantifiably measurable.
(1) Why are heat stress protections not
mandatory when thresholds are quantifiable?
(2) Will the minister require these
protections to become mandatory standards? If not, why not?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the
honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1)–(2) The Australian Animal Welfare Standards
and Guidelines for Livestock Transport (Land Transport Standards) are developed
nationally through a consultation process involving all jurisdictions,
industry, animal welfare organisations and scientific experts. Whilst the
temperature humidity index is a recognised indicator,
heat stress risk depends on multiple interacting factors. The index is
therefore suitable as a guideline rather than a mandatory standard.

Explore WA Government Data

Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.

Explore more