Tasmanian minister puts abattoir industry on notice after 'distressing' video released by activists

Tasmania's minister for primary industries says "there is nothing off the table" in the government's response to evidence of what she has called animal cruelty at abattoirs in the state.

WARNING: This story contains depictions of animals in distress.

Animal rights activists have released footage obtained by hidden cameras installed at the Tasmanian Quality Meats (TQM) site in Cressy and four other Tasmanian abattoirs. 

The activists from the Farm Transparency Project allege the vision shows animals being "dragged, thrown and beaten" and killed "while fully conscious".

Minister for Primary Industries Jo Palmer said she had viewed the footage.

"What has been released in that footage is absolutely unacceptable — it's really distressing and I found it very difficult to watch," she said.

She said the government would be doing everything it could to prevent animal cruelty, but it had not yet decided on specific measures.

"Our government will be delivering a very decisive and very comprehensive response to the situation we find ourselves in," she said.

"Our government will not tolerate any acts of animal cruelty such as we have seen in this footage lately."

Animal welfare group Animals Australia is calling for government action to restore confidence in the industry.

"Unless mandatory CCTV footage and cameras are installed in all facilities across Tasmania, the Tasmanian community can have little or no faith in the regulation of these facilities," said the group's lawyer Shatha Hamade.

Last year, a move by the Tasmanian Greens to legislate for mandatory CCTV was rejected by the government and opposition, which said it should be done through regulation instead.

Ms Palmer said on Sunday all options were being considered.

"There is nothing off the table," she said.

The minister added the treatment on display in the footage was out of line with community expectations.

"We want to see the highest standard of animal welfare across our livestock processing industry — that is what our farmers expect, that is what our community expects and that is certainly what our government expects," she said.

"We know the consequences for this sort of behaviour that we have seen can be really damaging for our red meat industry, for the impact it can have on jobs, and for the impact it can have on our regional communities."

Export licence threatened

The federal government has threatened to suspend the export licence of Tasmanian Quality Meats, which is Tasmania's only accredited export processor of sheep, lambs and calves.

Tasmania's Department of Natural Resources confirmed it was also investigating for any breaches of the animal welfare act.

TQM said it condemned the mistreatment of animals and what was shown in the vision was "utterly unacceptable". 

Operations manager Jake Oliver said steps had been taken to improve practices including appointing an animal welfare officer, upgrading stunning and restraining equipment, and introducing a zero-tolerance policy for workers.

"We are very happy to work with both state and federal governments to implement whatever additional animal welfare measures are deemed appropriate," he said.

TQM also criticised the activists for entering the property and planting hidden cameras.

A spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry said exporters were required to adhere to legislation.

"The footage made available to the department does not align with the export legislation," they said.

"The department is working with the company in relation to the regulatory matters raised."

'Enough is enough', farmers association says

President of the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association (TFGA), Ian Sauer, said he was pleased to see the minister taking the matter seriously.

"The TFGA board have met on the matter and there is a high degree of frustration, not only at the board level but with our members regarding the ongoing breaches of the Animal Welfare Act," Mr Sauer said in a statement.

"Members are reaching out to me, expressing their exhaustion and frustration. They are telling me that this must stop: enough is enough.

"The standard you walk past is the standard you accept. We need action now that will make a change."

Mr Sauer suggested an industry code of conduct be implemented, which would be quicker than legislative change.

He also said any decision to revoke TQM's export licence should not occur until an investigation had taken place, to ensure "fair and due process".

'Nothing seems to change'

RSPCA Chief Executive Jan Davis said the leaked footage demonstrated the need for immediate action to prevent similar activities. 

"Animals being slaughtered is very confronting but there are ways of doing it that minimise the stress and the distress that those animals suffer, but that's certainly not what we saw in those videos," Ms Davis said.

"This is not the first time we've seen video of appalling failures of animal welfare protections in Tasmanian abattoirs. 

"There are immediate calls for improved standards – but nothing seems to change."

"There is a problem and it needs to be dealt with across the board as a matter of absolute urgency and priority. Gone is the time for 'yes we're getting better' talk.

"I had a phone call from Minister Palmer last night, she shared those commitments [to respond] with me and I do believe that working together across the board with the department and the minister we will be able to achieve some improvements.

"We have to do that otherwise we run the risk of losing that whole sector of our animal industry and our economy."

She said the failure of successive Tasmanian governments to address the systemic issues was "totally unacceptable". 

"This must include mandatory close monitoring of animal welfare at abattoirs (including CCTV equipment) and regular training and auditing of staff involved in all parts of the process.

"The footage proves that the state government needs to take a more active role in visiting, monitoring and auditing abattoirs to prevent the unnecessary and inhumane continued suffering of animals.

"It is also clear that the standards for compliance monitoring and auditing in abattoirs in Tasmania need to be carefully reviewed. 

"This will require increased funding from the state government to ensure the Department has sufficient resources to enforce compliance with state laws."

Former Liberal and Tasmanian independent John Tucker said the threatened shutdown of TQM needed to be reversed because it was "an essential service" for farmers processing livestock and would cost jobs.

"With the way it is at the moment, it's physically impossible to import the number of livestock processed at TQM to the mainland to be processed," he said in a statement.

Mr Tucker said he visited the abattoir on Saturday and had been assured the animal welfare issues had been resolved.