title: Andy Meddick
text: # Andy Meddick
  
  Andy Meddick (born 5 April 1964) is a former Australian politician. He was Animal Justice Party member of the Victorian Legislative Council since 2018 until 2022, representing Western Victoria Region, and is the first politician elected in Victoria on an animal protection platform.
  
  ## Career
  
  Meddick previously worked in construction and was motivated to start his political career when he heard the screams of animals while he worked next to a Laverton pig slaughterhouse in 2013. Meddick began handing out how-to-vote cards for the Animal Justice Party before the 2013 federal election and formed the regional group of the AJP. He contested the federal seat of Corangamite in 2016.
  
  ## Political views
  
  Meddick has been a strong critic of duck hunting in Victoria. He stated in his maiden speech in 2019 that he wants to work with farmers: "to help them adapt to the changes that our climate emergency will force us all to make". He also supported other members of the Victorian parliament crossbench in calling for a trial for pill testing.
  
  Meddick has opposed the culling of kangaroos, instead demanding in parliament that pest populations be 'relocated.'
  
  According to The Age, between November 2018 and November 2021, Meddick voted with the Andrews Government's position 83.2% of the time, the most of any Legislative Council crossbencher.
  
  ## Personal life
  
  Meddick is the father of two transgender children.
  
  