"This hearing proved to me and to the other young people present, that vivisection will never be abolished by appealing to politicians through the legitimate parliamentary channels."
Debbie Garrett - Wellington

"It was amazing that a Chairman of a Government Select Committee could get away with such totally unprofessional behaviour - and that he could leave eight of us unheard."
Sandra Mattiassi - Bay of Plenty

"The two witnesses presented vastly different aspects of the issue. Bette Overell spoke of the toxicological dangers of a health system based on vivisection, the financial cost to the country and the fallacy of extrapolating results between species. Lawrence O'Halloran's evidence on the farming of animals contained little obvious reference to vivisection other than a link at the beginning and conclusion of his delivery. However his message clearly proved the need for new farming methods, particularly organic cropping, as a solution to world famine.

Had a full Hearing been possible, an excellent varied case could have been put forward to support the Petition. As things were, the door looked closed right from the start!"
Maria Hammond - Wellington

"Mr Meurant kept interrupting the speakers and deliberately wasting time. That he had no intention of listening to the evidence was clear from the start. All he did was lean back in his seat, put his feet up and mumble grunts of disapproval. The other committee members sat like stuffed dummies. Paul Swain and Jack Elder made attempts to appear interested, however it was obvious they were nervous and embarrassed by the atrocious attitude of their Chairman."
Fiona Tait - Wellington

"The conduct of the Primary Production Committee is the strongest argument yet for an increase in action against the vivisection laboratories by the NZ Animal Liberation Front."
Simon Cottle - Wellington

"If that's Parliamentary procedure I am proud to be an anarchist."
Ross Gardiner - Auckland

"The Hearing was a farce governed by the lunch-hour clock. Bette Overell introduced the Petition, spoke about the fraud of vivisection and its resultant damage to human health and gave details of the growing medical opposition to a health service based on wrong principle. Lawrence O'Halloran from Palmerston North emphasised the need to end vivisection-based farming with its catastrophic environmental damage.

Both speakers proved undeniably that vivisection is the principal cause of sickness in New Zealand and that it is bankrupting the health service. The Chairman of the Primary Production Committee did not ask questions, show the slightest interest or allow time for Committee members to question the speakers. He was totally and solely interested in bringing the procedures to a close."
John Overell - Wellington

"Before reporters from The Dominion and TV3, Bette developed her well-structured case. After showing photos of a Debendox damaged baby she spoke of damages from asthma drugs, clioquinol, vaccine fatalities and gave statistics on numbers of withdrawn drugs due to 'serious side-effects' which included death. She informed the Committee of the growing number of doctors against vivisection and the vast profits being made by the vivisection industry. When she was interrupted by the Chairman who tried to stop her address Mrs Overell said if she could not finish her evidence she would be happy to return to do so at a later date. The Chairman stated that our Petition 'had received a greater privilege than most'. Bette thereupon made to leave the committee room saying there was no point remaining if she could not give her evidence.
After acrimonious exchanges between the Chairman and Mr Golding and others Bette completed her oral evidence. By contrast with Bette's dramatic presentation Lawrence O'Halloran established a tone of tranquility in his submission on the dangers and consequences of the vivisection-based farming industry. The submission outlined in detail the connection between vivisection and farming and its health and environmental implications.
The two submissions heard that historic morning were of the highest calibre, worthy both of the petitioners throughout the country, and of the victims of scientism, on whose behalf they were brought to the NZ Parliament."
Vivienne Sands - Christchurch

"Mr Meurant was very arrogant. From the moment he summoned us into the room after keeping us waiting 20 minutes it was obvious that his mind had been made up against the Petition. He made deliberate and obvious efforts not to listen to the great weight of evidence that was presented to the Committee."
Phil Clayton - Wellington

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