Dr. Jed Goodfellow: Australian Alliance for Animals

Dr Jed Goodfellow has already devoted his entire adult life to being a voice for the voiceless.

Inspired to act after witnessing appalling conditions whilst undertaking work experience at a local zoo when he was just 16, the now 43-year-old is the co-founder of the Australian Alliance for Animals, along with his long-term colleagues and fellow animal advocates Dr Meg Good and Dr Bidda Jones AM.

The not-for-profit organisation unites the animal protection sector to pursue reforms for better welfare outcomes via more targeted government and political engagement, to elevate the priority given to animal welfare across Australia’s political system.

“Australians care about animals and want to see stronger laws to protect them,” says Jed, who started out working for the RSPCA in Coffs Harbour and the Gold Coast as an animal attendant, before gaining employment as a rescue officer and then an inspector for RSPCA Queensland while completing his law degree.

“Launching the Alliance has enabled us to work towards a more independent governance system for animal welfare that works for animals rather than against them, in addition to galvanising a united animal protection sector that has significant political clout.”

At the forefront of the organisation’s work is a focus on championing the end of live sheep export by sea – an issue which has seen the Albanese government introduce legislation to ban the practice by 2028, but which is at risk of being repealed should a coalition government gain power at the upcoming federal election.

As part of its high-profile public campaign, the Alliance has launched a nation-wide advertising blitz, along with partners Stop Live Exports and Animals Australia, to remind Australians of the suffering inherent in the trade. To date, the hard-hitting advertisements have reached over two million Australians.

“We wanted to throw our efforts behind the end of live sheep export because, quite simply, it’s cruel, unnecessary and doesn’t reflect Australian values,” explains Jed, who embarked on a PhD at Macquarie University in 2011 to investigate the animal welfare regulatory framework, after finding his then role as a prosecutor for the RSPCA wasn’t getting to the root of animal cruelty, or preventing it from occurring in the first place.

“Live export is the cause of tremendous suffering and Australians know and understand this, not least because of the tireless work of advocates across the country, particularly the groundbreaking investigations spearheaded by Animals Australia.

“The bottom line is that people are sick of seeing animals suffering in the trade, they know there’s a better way and that is borne out by the polls, which show that over 70 percent of the community back its phase out.”

Whilst the campaign to support the ban on live sheep export is at full throttle, the Alliance’s work on a myriad of other animal welfare issues is also continuing unabated.

At its core, the Alliance is focused on long-term systemic change for animals, with an emphasis on removing institutional barriers to progressing animal welfare standards. This involves creating a more independent animal welfare governance framework that gives more weight to science, community values, and the interests of animals – all goals set out in its Fair Go for Animals campaign.

“Working as an inspector and prosecutor gave me a front row seat to the many loopholes and deficiencies built into our animal welfare laws,” adds Jed.

“Once I became aware of the way millions of animals were exploited in different industrial settings, including right here in Australia, I couldn’t really do anything else but dedicate my life to helping them.

“And now working with my devoted and tireless colleagues, including Bidda and our Alliance team, we’re succeeding in strengthening the animal protection sector and creating a powerful political force for Australian animals.”

Visit the Australian Alliance for Animals to learn more: https://www.allianceforanimals.org.au/