Tasmanian Quality Meats abattoir facing suspension after activists film slaughter practices

"Horrific" footage obtained by animal rights activists of Tasmania's major abattoir has triggered the federal government to threaten a suspension of its export license.

WARNING: This story contains depictions of animals in distress.

Over several weeks in August, Chris Delforce from animal activist group Farm Transparency Project entered the Tasmanian Quality Meats site in Cressy, in Tasmania's north, and installed hidden cameras.

He said the footage shows "heartbreaking" treatment of animals at Tasmania's only accredited export processor of sheep, lambs and calves.

"They're literally dragged, thrown, and beaten to the slaughter line," Mr Delforce said.

"These are young, terrified, confused, starving calves that have been taken from their mothers … and having to watch footage of them being killed, many of them while fully conscious, is absolutely heartbreaking."

Farm Transparency Project were involved in a similar infiltration of an abattoir in Melbourne.

TQM has confirmed the federal Department of Agriculture has issued a notice of intention to suspend its exporter licence last Friday, giving them seven days to respond.

"We're not denying what's happened," TQM Operations Manager Jake Oliver said.

"I would like to stress that we condemn all mistreatment of animals in the strongest possible terms. It is utterly unacceptable and fails to meet the high standards TQM expects," he said.

"[The activists] came in the middle of the night, trespassed onto our property … and they've planted hidden cameras throughout our facility filming our staff without our consent, and Tasmania Police have been notified."

The ABC asked three experts familiar with abattoir operations to review the footage.

They raised concerns including rough handling and incorrect stunning — a process that renders animals unconscious — which resulted in animals appearing to be alert when they were slaughtered.

University of Melbourne senior research fellow Ellen Jongman said she had "never seen anything like this".

"This is definitely not what you normally would see, I've been to several abattoirs around the country, and this was definitely very bad."

"I've never seen anything like this to be honest, it's definitely not normal."

The footage was sent to Animals Australia, and chief executive officer Glenys Oogjes.

Animals Australia lodged a complaint to Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania, outlining the allegations against TQM and four other Tasmanian abattoirs.

TQM's Jake Oliver said since being notified of the footage last Thursday, TQM have appointed an animal welfare officer, "upgraded stunning and restrainer equipment", and "introduced a zero-tolerance policy" for workers.

"We've taken immediate and significant action … including retraining all the employees on animal welfare obligations and we've introduced a zero-tolerance policy, which means one strike and you're fired," he said.

"We've also moved some employees out into different areas of the business where they're not even remotely close to livestock," Mr Oliver said.

TQM could not confirm if the workers identified in the footage had been fired.

The ABC understands the newly appointed animal welfare officer is an existing TQM employee.

Not the first time

This is not the first time the company has come under scrutiny for animal abuse allegations.

In 2017, Animal Liberation obtained footage showing workers beating male calves until they collapsed and throwing them to the ground by the ears. 

The footage prompted an investigation by the Department of Primary Industries, which found no evidence of animal cruelty and TQM were cleared of any animal rights violations.

At the time, TQM managing director and owner Brian Oliver told the ABC the company was working to ensure it did not happen again.

FTP's Chris Delforce was also part of obtaining that footage seven years ago and is disappointed the current situation is not much different.

"Nothing has changed in that time, if anything things have gotten worse," Mr Delforce said.

"There is already CCTV in this facility, there are cameras all over the place, it's clear that workers and management know what's happening."

TQM confirmed there are over 60 cameras at the site.

Industry fears suspension fallout

The peak body representing Tasmanian farmers said suspending TQMs licence could have significant negative implications for the industry, including broader animal welfare issues.

The Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association (TFGA) said it would force farmers to euthanise their lambs and stock, with limited other options.

"If TQM aren't killing these lambs, there's nowhere for them to go, there's limited capacity for freight across the Bass Strait, there's limited capacity for killing animals of the mainland at the moment, there's really nothing left in Tasmania to kill these lambs," president Ian Sauer said.

"We will end up with an even bigger animal welfare issue and farmers will need to be euthanising.

"60,000 lambs between now and January are booked in to be processed and that's looking to grow to 120,000 by the end of that month. This loss of income will cripple Tasmanian farmers."

Mr Oliver said the suspension would have a "catastrophic impact on our business and staff, and Tasmania's entire agricultural sector".

"A suspension could force TQM to shut down, putting the jobs of 200 workers at risk," he said.

Greens urge mandatory CCTV audits

Tasmanian Greens Leader Rosalie Woodruff said greater regulations were needed.

"We need strong regulations to end these farming cruel practices, and we need to have CCTV footage that is monitored and checked and audited with strong penalties for people who break that," she said.

Ms Woodruff said the Greens backed by RSPCA moved to amend the Animal Welfare Act last year to make mandatory CCTV footage and monitoring in all abattoirs in Tasmania, but was blocked by Labor and the Liberal government.

Tasmanian Labor has called for the export licence to remain in place.

"All levels of government must work together to ensure that Tasmanian Quality Meats retains its export licence," Shadow Minister Janie Finlay said.

Tasmanian Minister for Primary Industries Jo Palmer said she expects abattoirs to uphold the highest animal welfare standards.

TQM has asked the federal government extend the notice of suspension, to allow for a formal investigation to take place.