Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — My adjournment matter is directed to the Minister for Agriculture, Ms Pulford. I am requesting that the minister look into taking action against Riverside Meats abattoir after seeing the shocking acts of animal cruelty at that facility. More than 170 hours of footage were provided to the regulator, PrimeSafe. I saw a few minutes of it, and it really was just horrific, with calves being beaten and stun guns being used. What really struck me was the joy and laughter coming from the staff members who were doing this. It was really quite horrific. In the short bits I watched I saw agonising deaths. It was really quite appalling. The only action that I can see has been taken so far is that the four staff involved were moved to other duties in the abattoir.
I know that this is a family business and that they have been running it for decades. I have no doubt that they actually have a great respect for animals, but this was not the correct action to take. Not only that, but this is the second time in three years that animal cruelty allegations have been raised against Riverside. Dr Charles Milne, from PrimeSafe and Victoria’s chief vet, has also said there was evidence of systematic cruelty and that there was no question in his mind that the level of welfare abuse that was occurring must have been known to management.
Again, I understand that this is a family business, but the culture has got to change and attitudes have got to change. My parents owned a family farm in their retirement, and we knew the names of every single animal we ate. Despite the chief vet’s damning views in the media, the minister has come out to say that there is absolutely no power for her to act on this allegation of animal abuse, and I am sure the minister was being quite genuine in that. However, we had a look — and we do not do this often — at the Meat Industry Act 1993. Section 46(1) of the act says that PrimeSafe:
… must exercise its powers and perform its functions under the act … subject to any specific written directions given by the minister in relation to a matter …
A condition of any licence is that a person must be a fit and proper person to hold that licence. Victorians want assurances that their animals are not being tortured and abused, so I ask the minister to use the powers already in the act to direct PrimeSafe to consider withholding Riverside abattoir’s licence.
REPLY:
Thank you for your question in relation to the licensing of Riverside Meats Echuca by PrimeSafe.
Animal cruelty in any form is completely unacceptable, and it is illegal. The Andrews Labor Government condemns any act of cruelty to animals.
The footage taken of Riverside Meats in Echuca is incredibly disturbing and shocking.
Victoria’s meat and seafood regulator, PrimeSafe, received a formal complaint on 25 October 2016. PrimeSafe immediately directed that certain staff be removed from their duties and commenced its initial investigation the next day. Breaches of the mandatory welfare standards were identified and sanctions have been imposed on the abattoir, including directing them to make modifications to infrastructure, equipment and procedures, and retrain staff.
Weekly audits have been ordered until Riverside Meats can demonstrate compliance with Australian standards.
As you are aware Section 46(1) of the Meat Industry Act 1993 (the Act) provides that PrimeSafe must exercise its powers and perform its functions under the Act and the Seafood Safety Act 2003 subject to any specific written directions given by the Minister in relation to a matter or class of matter specified in the directions.
The Minister’s power under Section 46(1) is limited to matters that are related to the exercise and performance of powers and functions conferred on PrimeSafe under the Act.
The functions of PrimeSafe are set out under Section 44 of the Act. These functions are primarily about standards of meat production, safety of meat processing and transportation facilities, and protection of public health. As such, it is beyond the Minister’s power under Section 46(1) of the Act to direct PrimeSafe to suspend or cancel the licence held by Riverside Meats on the basis of a breach of animal welfare standards applicable to the operations permitted under that licence.
As Minister responsible for matters of animal welfare remain very concerned by the nature and seriousness of these allegations.
That’s why I have asked Victoria’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Charles Milne, to lead an additional investigation through Agriculture Victoria to examine what breaches of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 may have occurred and determine what further action should be taken.
Where laws have been broken, those responsible should be properly held to account, in accordance with the law. Like other Victorians, our government will not stand for deliberate cruelty to animals.
While the use and monitoring of closed circuit television (CCTV) in meat processing facilities is encouraged, the Government has no plans to mandate the installation of CCTV monitoring in private businesses. We will, however, carefully consider deficiencies in standards or monitoring as we modernise Victoria’s animal welfare legislation, foreshadowed in our Draft Animal Welfare Action Plan.
