Greens spokesperson for animal welfare, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, has called on people and businesses to say ‘nup’ to the Melbourne Cup today.
Senator Faruqi said:
“I’m calling on everyone to join me and many other Australians in saying ‘nup’ to the Melbourne Cup and all cruelty to horses.
“I’m overwhelmed by the surge in support for #NupToTheCup. It’s clear the community values animal welfare and the racing industry will end up on the wrong side of history if they ignore this strong community sentiment.
“Year after year we see the needless painful deaths of horses, including five in the last six Melbourne Cups.
“More and more people are recognising that animals never win when gambling profits are at stake. That’s why I say ‘nup’ to the cup.
“After all the evidence of animal cruelty and racehorses being sent to slaughterhouses in appalling conditions, we urgently need a Royal Commission into cruelty in horse racing to hold the industry to account,” she concluded.