#AnimalsMatter

#ANIMALSMATTER is our 2019 SIN Re-Launch event, where we are going to deep dive into animal welfare via a broad range of expert perspectives.
As always with our events, we don't want to just talk about the problems - we want to discuss the solutions! 

This is why we are bringing you a powerful lineup of expert speakers to share their stories, initiatives and solutions to some of the various problems animals face - from domestic animals who risk execution when they are missing for more than 3 days, to the marine life that are suffering in our oceans, and the part that animal agriculture has to play in animal welfare. 

Our network does not have any specific alignment towards veganism or animal agriculture, but instead seeks to provide a forum for thoughtful, objective and respectful discourse around how we can collectively enhance the welfare of humans, animals, and the environment. We believe the conversation may get heated and we would love to hear your perspective on the night where you will be able to poll in your views on things and contribute to the collective conversation.

#AnimalsMatter Speaker LineUp: 

Kate Parker, Australia/NZ Coordinator at Sea Shepherd

Kate is an environmental activist and is a driving force within Sea Shepherd, the world's leading direct action ocean conservation organisation. 
Sea Shepherd are stepping in to address the fact that human activity is devastating ocean ecosystems, including illegal fishing and overfishing which result in fish being unable to build up their numbers and whole populations are being wiped out. Noise from human activities cause problems for ocean wildlife too including mining which can destroy habitat as well as risking pollution that can kill wildlife. Not to mention the 9 million tons of plastic that enters the ocean almost every year and climate change stacked on top. Warmer water can absorb more CO2 from the air, and this makes the ocean more acidic than ever before. 

There is much that needs doing in the oceans. We need to act. So the Social Innovation Network can’t wait to hear from Kate Parker about the ways in which they are tackling some of these problems, and how you can make simple choices that will positively affect the survival rate of our marine life.

Vickie Davy - Co-Founder and CEO at Pet Rescue

Vickie co-founded PetRescue 14 years ago, a site that has had 6 million visits in the last 12 months, and became the first connection between thousands of homeless pets and new families. Vickie and her team have a goal to see the end of the killing of Australia’s homeless pets. Vickie is bringing to our attention some serious issues that currently exist within the Victorian Pound System, where animals can be put down after only 3 days, despite extremely poor management of the data collected from a pets micro-chip. Vickie will share the way that she and her team are aiming to address those issues moving forward by harnessing technology, as well as how you may be able to help simply by using your critical thinking and problem solving skills! 

Zacchary Bird, Vegan Recipe Developer and Caterer

Zacchary has spent the last 5 years working on the scene teaching classes, catering for private events/clients, developing vegan recipes/products and trying to tell jokes at festivals around the country to bring light to some heavy situations!

On zaccharybird.com, a trove of recipes and vegan wine resources accompany his ebook, 'Meals for Mere Mortals'. Zaccary creates all kinds of vegan food: healthy, easy, indulgent and nostalgic - but his signature move is making fake meat that challenges what people think fake meat can do. Think plant based chicken on a bone, deep fried tarantula and mythical meat that shouldn’t even exist. Find further proof of my existence on Instagram and Facebook under ‘Zacchary Bird’.

Sam Trethewey, Founder of the Tasmanian Agriculture Company

Sam is the Managing Director Tasmanian Agricultural Company and is from a farm production, agribusiness and agri-technology background. Previously involved in SproutX - Australia's first and largest agtech accelerator, co-working space and ecosystem, Sam has a great deal of experience in the Australian startup scene, ranging from investment to Agribusiness advisory to CEO’s.

Sam is aiming to bring a more controversial view point to this conversation, as he introduces his startup, and how they are tackling some specific issues within traditional animal agriculture practices, as well as making a positive environmental impact and why it is important that people pay attention to animal welfare within animal agri - since the industry is definitely not going away!

Event Format:
18:00 - Arrival on level 12A & Networking (complimentary drinks served)

18:20 - Acknowledgement of Country, Theme Introduction & invitation for 90 Second Pitches from Community Members

18:25 - Speaker Presentations

19:25 - Networking session #2

20:00 - Wrap up and close

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