New Zealand’s Jewish community is mounting a legal case against the country’s new law banning kosher slaughter.
Community spokesman David Zwartz said last week that an agreement between the community’s working group on shechita and Agriculture Minister David Carter “could not be reached.”
Carter announced the ban in late May, overruling advice from the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee to exempt shechita from a new Animal Welfare Slaughter Code. The law leaves New Zealand’s 7,000 Jews without access to kosher chickens; kosher meat can be imported from Australia.
“The minister is firm in his resolve to preserve his position, which does not give the Jewish community a secure continuing supply of kosher meat,” Zwartz said. “This is disappointing and has meant turning to progress the work on a legal action.”
A leading law firm has been engaged and has prepared draft proceedings, Zwartz said.
The legal case is likely to center on the law’s apparent violation of New Zealand’s Bill of Rights, which protects the right to a person’s religion, and its possible breach of the Animal Welfare Act, which contains provisions for religious rights. — jta