After over 10,000 public submissions, hours of hearings and months of deliberations, the Victorian inquiry into pig welfare released its final report in December 2024. The report, made 18 recommendations to end some of the most cruel and outdated practices in Victorian pig farming and slaughter, including intensive confinement stalls and cages, the killing of piglets by blunt force trauma and the horrific slaughter of pigs in CO2 gas chambers. 

6 months after the report was released, after repeated attempts from us to meet with the Minister for Agriculture, the Victorian government has responded to the findings and recommendations. While they expressed support for significant changes to pig welfare, including a legislative ban on sow stalls and farrowing crates and the killing of piglets by blunt-force trauma, they refused to commit to any meaningful action. Instead, they deferred to the industry, stating that they intend to work with, and further finance, pig meat producers to improve.

For decades the Australian pork industry has received government subsidies, paid for by tax-payers, to support 'research and development' and welfare improvements. Yet despite this, they have continued to torture pigs in the cruelest and most barbaric ways, making changes only so far as to improve their capacity to slaughter pigs at an even greater rate. Now the Victorian government has shown that they will continue to support their practices, despite the majority of the public supporting either significant industry reforms or a complete end to the farming and slaughter of these intelligent, sentient animals. 

This year, we've shown time and time again that the Government is acting as nothing more than a pawn for industry lobbyists to manipulate in order to preserve the status quo. If we want to see real change for animals, we can't rely on them to act. It is up to us. 

As long as animals are bred, confined and killed for food, there will always be pain, fear and suffering. We will never stop fighting until every cage is empty and every slaughterhouse shut down.

Sign the petition to add your voice to the growing number of people demanding an end to the commercial breeding, confinement and slaughter of gentle, intelligent animals. 

You can also take action as an individual by pledging to stop supporting animal slaughter by leaving animals off your plate and living vegan. Take the pledge today.