Emma Christine Hurst (born 25 March 1981) is an Australian politician, psychologist and vegan bodybuilder. She was elected to the

New South Wales Legislative Council The New South Wales Legislative Council, often referred to as the upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of the Australian state of New South Wales. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in th ...

representing the Animal Justice Party at the 2019 state election. Hurst became involved in animal welfare in 2002, and worked as a media officer for

PETA Peta or PETA may refer to: Acronym * Pembela Tanah Air, a militia established by the occupying Japanese in Indonesia in 1943 * People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, an American animal rights organization * People Eating Tasty Animals, an ...

and campaign officer for Animal Liberation. She contested the seat of Grayndler for the Animal Justice Party at the

2016 Australian federal election The 2016 Australian federal election was a double dissolution election held on Saturday 2 July to elect all 226 members of the 45th Parliament of Australia, 45th Parliament of Australia, after an extended eight-week official campaign period. It ...

, and became a member of the NSW Legislative Council following the 2019 NSW state election.

Early years and background

Born and raised in Sydney, Hurst became an animal activist during childhood. Hurst graduated from Monash University and is a registered psychologist.

Animal campaigning

Hurst has run a campaign that saw two major duck producers successfully prosecuted by the ACCC, the end of various cruel wild goat racing events, multiple companies including major burger chains and butchers cease their sales of rabbit meat, and hundreds of animals released from medical research.

Vegan bodybuilding

Hurst became a vegan bodybuilder at age 37. Despite being told she was "too old to compete" and "it would be too hard to go into a bodybuilding competition as a vegan", Hurst took home three gold medals at Australian Natural Bodybuilding bikini competitions. Following her success she continues to advocate for a healthy plant-based lifestyle, competing in numerous half marathons.

Political career

In 2019, Hurst became the second member of the Animal Justice Party elected to the NSW Legislative Council. Soon after her election she established and chaired a NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into the Use of Battery Cages for Hens in the Egg Production Industry. The Inquiry recommended that all food products containing eggs from caged hens should be clearly labelled for the benefit of consumers, and a phase-out of battery cage hen farming in NSW. On September 26, 2019, Hurst established a second Inquiry into the exhibition of exotic animals in circuses and exhibition of cetaceans in NSW, where she served as Deputy Chair. Hurst has been a frequent opponent of Australian

ag-gag Ag-gag laws are anti-whistleblower laws that apply within the agriculture industry. Popularized by Mark Bittman in an April 2011 ''The New York Times'' column (but used long before then by advocates), the term ''ag-gag'' typically refers to state ...

laws, speaking out against the NSW Government's Right to Farm Bill and increased biosecurity legislation. She has campaigned for increased transparency in the Australian animal agriculture industry.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hurst, Emma 1981 births Living people Members of the New South Wales Legislative Council Women members of the New South Wales Legislative Council Animal Justice Party politicians Australian animal rights activists Australian veganism activists Monash University alumni Australian women psychologists Australian psychologists Australian female bodybuilders 21st-century Australian women politicians Politicians from Sydney

Early years and background

Animal campaigning

Vegan bodybuilding

Political career

See also

References