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Andy Meddick

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Andy Meddick
Meddick in 2022.
Member of the Victorian Legislative Council for Western Victoria Region
In office
24 November 2018 – 26 November 2022
Preceded byJames Purcell
Succeeded bySarah Mansfield
Personal details
Born (1964-04-05) 5 April 1964 (age 60)
Gosford, New South Wales, Australia
Political partyAnimal Justice Party
Residence(s)Torquay, Victoria, Australia
OccupationCrane Operator
Politician

Andy Meddick (born 5 April 1964)[1] is a former Australian politician. He was Animal Justice Party member of the Victorian Legislative Council since 2018 until 2022, representing Western Victoria Region,[2] and was the first politician elected in Victoria on an animal protection platform.

Career

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Meddick previously worked in construction and was motivated to start his political career when he heard the screams of animals while he worked next to a Laverton pig slaughterhouse in 2013.[3] Meddick began handing out how-to-vote cards for the Animal Justice Party before the 2013 federal election and formed the regional group of the AJP.[3] He contested the federal seat of Corangamite in 2016.[3]

Political views

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Meddick has been a strong critic of duck hunting in Victoria.[4] He stated in his maiden speech in 2019 that he wants to work with farmers: "to help them adapt to the changes that our climate emergency will force us all to make".[5] He also supported other members of the Victorian parliament crossbench in calling for a trial for pill testing.[6]

Meddick has opposed the culling of kangaroos, instead demanding in parliament that pest populations be 'relocated.'[7]

According to The Age, between November 2018 and November 2021, Meddick voted with the Andrews Government's position 83.2% of the time, the most of any Legislative Council crossbencher.[8]

Personal life

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Meddick is the father of two transgender children.[9]

References

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  1. ^ Who's Who in Australia. ConnectWeb. 2019.
  2. ^ "Western Victoria". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
  3. ^ a b c McCubbing, Gus (29 November 2018). "Animal Justice candidate for Western Victoria's political career launched by disturbing experience". The Standard. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  4. ^ Victoria's duck hunt season reduced: Weekly Times Now article
  5. ^ Animal Justice MP Andy Meddick wants to 'work with farmers': Weekly Times Now article
  6. ^ Crossbench to use numbers to pressure Victorian Government to introduce pill testing: ABC article
  7. ^ Andy Meddick, Western Victoria (7 October 2021). "Kangaroo Control" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Parliament of Victoria. pp. 3651–3652.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  8. ^ Sakkal, Paul (26 November 2021). "'Is this what compliant looks like?': Victoria's crossbench conflict". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  9. ^ Starcevic, Seb (27 August 2020). "'Both are perfect' says Australian lawmaker with two trans children". Reuters. Retrieved 21 November 2021.