Open Letter to Industry - Pig Gas Stunning

The Alliance has written an open letter to the pig and meat processing industries asking them to support mandatory CCTV in all abattoirs across the country.

Time to demonstrate your commitment to transparency  

Animal welfare matters to Australians. 

As you would be acutely aware following the ABC’s 7.30 report into the CO2 gas stunning of pigs, the community cares very deeply about the way animals are treated during production and in death. They expect animals to be treated humanely, with respect and compassion, and they want assurances that this expectation is being met. 

The Australian pig and meat processing industries frequently claim to be committed to transparency. Australian Pork Limited’s on-farm Virtual Tour initiative introduced last year was said to be “part of a broader strategy to increase transparency and engagement”.1 In responding to the ABC 7.30 report Mr Hutchinson claimed that "we're always happy to be as open and transparent as we can.”2  

It's time to put those claims to the test. It’s time to support mandatory CCTV in slaughter facilities, including inside areas where animals are being stunned, with third-party monitoring. The long-term sustainability of your industries depends on it. 

CCTV is a regulatory requirement in the UK, Israel, Spain, and many other local jurisdictions throughout Europe. The Queensland Government recently passed legislation requiring CCTV in horse slaughter facilities and a basic regulatory amendment could expand this to all slaughter facilities in the state.  

We invite you to join us in publicly supporting the implementation of mandatory CCTV in all slaughter facilities in Australia with third-party monitoring. As CCTV infrastructure has already been installed in most facilities, making this a regulatory requirement would not come at significant cost. It is also an opportune time to make this commitment with the review of the national Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Livestock at Slaughter Establishments currently underway. 

Making such a commitment would be a real display of transparency in your industries. It’s what the Australian community deserves and expects. 

We look forward to your response. 

Yours sincerely,   

Erica Martin Chief Executive Officer, Humane Society International Australia. 

Ben Pearson Country Director, World Animal Protection Australia and New Zealand. 

Rebecca Linigen National Director, FOUR PAWS Australia. 

Glenys Oogjes Chief Executive Officer, Animals Australia. 

Dr Jed Goodfellow Co-Director, Australian Alliance for Animals. 

Dr Bidda Jones AM Co-Director, Australian Alliance for Animals.   

The letter was sent 20 April 2023 to Mr Andrew Baxter (Chair, Australian Pork Limited), Mr Gary Hardwick (Chair, Australian Meat Industry Council), Ms Margo Andrae (CEO, APL) and Mr Patrick Hutchinson (CEO, AMIC). The Australian Meat Industry Council responded stating that it does not support mandatory CCTV in slaughterhouses.

Download the letter here.

Photo credit (pig): Jo-Anne McArthur/Animal Liberation Victoria/We Animals Media.