thewest.com.au

December 3, 2007

 

The 2007 Voiceless Awards have been held in Sydney, with a group working to end live animal exports getting the popular vote.

Dubbed the Oscars of the animal protection community, the annual awards ceremony was held at upmarket restaurant Guillaume at Bennelong today.

About 200 guests walked the red carpet before sitting down to a vegan lunch.

The awards, in their fourth year, aim to raise awareness of animal rights issues through funding animal protection campaigns and projects across Australia.

More than 100 applications for funding grants were received this year.

Voiceless ambassador and actor Hugo Weaving presented 17 grants worth a total of $145,000 at the ceremony.

West Australian group People Against Cruelty in Animal Transport took out the inaugural People’s Choice award, which was chosen on the basis of online votes.

The $10,000 prize will be used to fund a billboard campaign aimed at increasing knowledge about the live export industry operating from Australia.

Voiceless director Brian Sherman said the 17 grant recipients included animal protection groups, universities and lawyers.

The money was used to fund projects addressing animal protection issues, including factory farming and experimentation, he said.

“The Voiceless Awards event is a unique occasion where the fantastic work of all the individuals and groups who make up the animal protection movement is publicly acknowledged,” he said.

The grants program has awarded $560,000 funding since 2004.

AAP