Mark Steele says he is ‘ashamed to be associated’ with the RSPCA Certified scheme, which badges 97% of chicken sold in Australia

• Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast

RSPCA New South Wales’s vice-president has left the animal welfare group, saying he is “sincerely ashamed” of the standards for RSPCA-certified chicken.

Mark Steele, a senior counsel who was a volunteer member of the board from 2021 also served as a non-executive director of RSPCA Australia until March, issued a statement on LinkedIn outlining his decision to leave the group’s NSW branch for good at the end of September.