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Only in Australia

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PaxVobiscum

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-32732313

My interest is less in the story (others will doubtless not share my priorities) as in the tone of the ministerial comment:

Actor Johnny Depp has been told he has until Saturday to remove his dogs from Australia or they will be put down.

Depp and his wife, Amber Heard, are accused of breaking import laws by not declaring Yorkshire Terriers Boo and Pistol to customs when they flew in to Queensland by private jet last month.

Australia has strict quarantine laws to prevent the accidental import of animal disease and infections.

Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce said the laws applied to everyone.
He said Boo and Pistol had been "snuck in" to Australia and were discovered when they were taken to a dog groomer.

"Mr Depp has to either take his dogs back to California or we're going to have to euthanise them," he told reporters on Thursday.

"He's now got about 50 hours left to remove the dogs. He can put them on the same charter jet he flew out on and fly back out of our nation."
Dogs brought into Australia must be law be quarantined for a minimum of 10 days after arrival, longer if they are suspected of carrying any diseases or tics.

An online petition to save the "cute dogs" had received more than 1,300 signatories by midday on Thursday.

"Have a heart Barnaby! Don't kill these cute puppies," it appealed. There was no immediate comment from Depp or Heard.

But Mr Joyce said: "If we start letting movie stars even though they've been the 'sexiest man alive' twice to come into our nation, then why don't we just break the laws for everybody?

"It's time that Pistol and Boo buggered off back to the United States."
I think John Prescott was the Government Minister who had the nearest to that "refreshingly candid tone" that I can remember back here. Any other offers?
 
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Tetchytyke

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Australian wildlife has been repeatedly ruined by idiots who think that quarantine laws don't apply to them.

And most Aussie politicians are that straight talking. Their insults in debates are a thing of joy.
 

LexyBoy

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Indeed, Australia has suffered badly from a raft of alien species, as is a risk for many places which have predominantly endemic wildlife due to being cut off for a long time. Though somewhat ironic as almost everything in Australia is capable of causing death in a variety of poisonous and/or bitey ways. Even the trees. :lol:

Re the article, why do the dogs have to be executed rather than quarantined as they should have been?
 

Merseysider

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LexyBoy said:
Re the article, why do the dogs have to be executed rather than quarantined as they should have been?
I think the execution of the dogs if they aren't quarantined is there to serve as a deterrent; fewer people would obey the rules if all they'd get was a hefty fine.
 

Tetchytyke

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Re the article, why do the dogs have to be executed rather than quarantined as they should have been?

Deterrent factor, really. Fines wouldn't touch someone like Johnny Depp, but the threat of seeing Rover get put down will probably focus his mind.
 

DownSouth

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And most Aussie politicians are that straight talking. Their insults in debates are a thing of joy.
I can only think of a few others who are close to the level of Barnaby Joyce though (Clive Palmer, Jacqui Lambie, Nick Xenophon, Anthony Albanese and Christopher Pyne) and it's certainly not the case that any of them are both a Minister and a one man Opposition party at the same time like he can be.

It got even better this morning - he went on the Kyle and Jackie O Show (not usually advisable for politicians), picked a fight with 'Vile Kyle' Sandilands and won.
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Deterrent factor, really. Fines wouldn't touch someone like Johnny Depp, but the threat of seeing Rover get put down will probably focus his mind.
It would seem that it has - the dogs will reportedly be buggering off on his private jet this evening.
 

jon0844

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I think the execution of the dogs if they aren't quarantined is there to serve as a deterrent; fewer people would obey the rules if all they'd get was a hefty fine.

Something to consider for the railway and revenue protection?
 

Jonny

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Deterrent factor, really. Fines wouldn't touch someone like Johnny Depp, but the threat of seeing Rover get put down will probably focus his mind.

What is the alternative (short of sending them back)? Besides, dogs may carry diseases such as rabies that are a threat to (human) public health. This isn't one of Australia's stupid laws, it is one of the better ones.
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Something to consider for the railway and revenue protection?

I think that would be over the top. Unless, of course, you mean fare dodgers' dogs...
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Although Australia does buy into the world's stupidest law - criminalising crossing the road on a red man. Mind you, I suspect that the majority of this forum would bring back hanging for that.
 
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