in the news
F
reshara, a meal-kit delivery
service dedicated to plant-based
food, is now delivering to more
than 300 suburbs across Sydney
and Melbourne.
Co-founder Yuki Thomas wanted to
fill an important niche by featuring
“everything that is non-animal” while
using premium, locally-sourced
ingredients. “We don’t want to offer the
normal, we want to offer the best qual-
ity plant-based meals you can find,”
says Ms Thomas.
As a vegetarian, Ms Thomas is
always looking for services that cater
to her needs. “I just don't have the
time to cook a week’s worth of food,”
she says. “So we thought, why don’t
we just deliver meals straight to your
door?”
Ms Thomas has partnered with
Troy Tam (former chef at Rockpool)
to develop an extensive and varied
menu, which includes cuisines from
the Middle East, Asia, India and South
America, with more recipes developed
weekly. Moroccan chickpea and
couscous tagine; jungle curry with
jasmine rice; garden harvest pasta
bake, and a roast pumpkin and sweet
potato quinoa salad are available.
Freshara also delivers its products
in 100 per cent recyclable packaging
to ensure its practices are in line with
vegan culture. Meals arrive unheated
to preserve quality, so you’ll have to
heat it up yourself at home.
Prices start from $9 per meal
alongside special eating plans, which
includes 12 meals per week.
Isabella Mifsud,
Broadsheet MelbourneN
ew WA Agricultural Minister
Alannah MacTiernan has backed
calls to create an independent
animal welfare commission, despite
concerns raised from the farming industry.
A recently-released report from the
Productivity Commission has recommended
forming a new national body to oversee
state and territory standards and assess
the effectiveness of those enforcing the
standards.
But the proposed Australian Commission
for Animal Welfare has been criticised by
agricultural industry groups as adding
another layer of bureaucratic red tape,
without delivering any benefits to the
industry.
Since WA’s McGowan Government
was swept into power, Ms MacTiernan
has warned she was in favour of tougher
enforcement of animal welfare standards in
the farming industry.
Ms MacTiernan says a high standard
of animal welfare across the agricultural
industry will make it more productive.
“It is very important that action is taken
to implement those measures,” she says.
“The mining industry long ago identified
links between workplace health and safety
measures and increased productivity and
in the same way higher animal welfare
outcomes for our industry will help protect
farm businesses against long-term risks
and costs.”
Ms MacTiernan says economic insight
into the benefit of high animal welfare
standards need to be recognised by whole
of industry to change it from beingtraditional to forward looking.
“It is unavoidable that issues of
community licence needs to be taken into
account and there are some organisations
like the Kimberley Pilbara Cattlemen’s
Association, who are committed to working
towards doing that.”
Darren Fernie jointly owns and manages
Fernview feedlot at Wannamal, with
partners Eldon Snell and Mark Sandbrook.
He says the feedlot, which processes
about 14,000 head of cattle a year for the
local market, operated with the highest
animal welfare standards possible and
further animal welfare regulatory oversight
would not add any deliverable benefits for
increasing animal welfare.
“We are accredited by the National
Feedlot Accreditation Scheme, which is an
independently audited quality assurance
scheme.”
“The scheme was specifically designed
for beef feedlots.”
“As part of the program we have to
record any animal deaths and why the
deaths occurred.”
Mr Snell said feedlotting, like most other
commercial livestock farming, has a vested
interest in maintaining high animal welfare
to produce a high quality product.
“The quality of the meat comes down to
the way the animal has been treated right
throughout the supply chain to the point of
slaughter,” he says.
“We are thinking about the safety and
welfare of the animals the entire time they
are at the feedlot.”
Rueben Hale, The West AustralianMinister backs calls for new
WELFARE BODY
W
hat do you give an Acting
Prime Minister who loves his
RM Williams? If you’re PETA,
it’s vegan ‘leather’ boots.
The animal activist group sent
National Party Leader Barnaby Joyce
a pair of the boots to mark his 50th
birthday.
“We wish you the happiest of
birthdays, content in the knowledge
that nobody had to be killed for your
footwear,” PETA wrote in his birthday
card last month.PETA has sent gifts to MPs before.
Liberal Senator James McGrath recently
got a vegan sausage pack and Prime Minister
Malcolm Turnbull has been the recipient of
a vegan ‘leather’ jacket.
Most vegan, or faux, leather is made from
non-animal synthetic materials like PVC.
British designer Stella McCartney has a
long-standing line of vegan footwear, much
of which are made out of polyurethane and
polyester.
Mr Joyce turned 50 on April 17.
Australian Associated PressBarnaby sent vegan boots for 50th
The Vegan boots and card sent to Barnaby Joyce Photo ©PETA AUSTRALIANew vegan
MEAL-KIT
delivery service