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Wednesday May 23, 2012

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'Australians in glass houses'

Posted by: 3AW Radio | 10 February, 2012 - 9:29 AM
Abbatoir

HINCH: Talk about people in glasshouses. You don’t think the Indonesian government isn’t going to poke fun at our expense with this one?

A year ago we were all justifiably horrified when we saw footage of cattle being treated so cruelly in abattoirs in Indonesia. The public outcry in Australia was so massive that the Gillard government immediately banned all live exports to Indonesia.

I said at the time: Let’s not get carried away here. Let’s not break out the champagne. The campaign to end the cruel slaughter of Australian cattle in Indonesia has only just begun. And it could get side tracked or stymied.

*Scroll down to view the footage which the story is based on.  Also, scroll down for interviews with Emma Hurst from Animal Liberation and Lyn White, Campaign Director for Animals Australia*

And of course it was sidelined and the Government eventually went to water. There are still some private members’ bills out there but it is virtually business as usual again. There have been some improvements in the standard of treatment.

I raise it again because of new abattoir footage, this time taken by Animal Liberation. Not in Indonesia – in New South Wales.

The footage is as bad, and in some cases even worse, than what turned your stomachs and fired your anger on 4 Corners last year.

Under our very noses. Under the noses of Australian livestock authorities and the state government. There have been shocking acts of cruelty.

You see pigs being clubbed over the head. You see animals kicking in agony.On one occasion a slaughterman uses an iron bar to bash the animal five or six times. On another occasion you see an animal being clubbed 13 times.  That worker could get a part-time job clubbing baby Harp seals in Canada.

There are sheep, supposedly stunned in preparation for their killing, still alive and kicking on the bloodied table as they have their throats cut.  Even that job is bungled.

There is footage of sheep hanging from hooks, still kicking wildly in slow death as they finally bleed out.

The abattoir is the Hawkesbury Valley Abattoir, just north of Sydney. It was closed down by the NSW Food Authority after Animal Liberation footage was shown to them.

The footage showed more than 100 breaches of the Prevention of  Cruelty Act.

I talked to the head of Animal Liberation, Lynda Stoner, off air a short time ago. She renews their call for the installation of CCTV cameras in Australian abattoirs – like many processing plants have in Britain. Look at this footage. You can’t argue with that.

And in the meantime, brace yourselves Canberra for some mocking ‘people in glasshouse’ words from Jakarta.

NEWS: A Sydney abattoir faces closure and prosecution and the federal government is being urged to act after scenes emerged of shocking animal cruelty.

The hidden-camera vision was taken by a worker at the Hawkesbury Valley Meat Processors.

It shows sheep being hung up and skinned while apparently still conscious and a man repeatedly striking live pigs over the head with a metal bar.

Emma Hurst from Animal Liberation has told Neil Mitchell the vision is hideous and amounts to torture.

She is adamant the federal government should taken action against other abattoirs which might be employing similar inhumane tactics.

An RSPCA investigation is under way.

Listen below.

IMAGE: A still from the hidden camera footage

Image

GRAPHIC FOOTAGE: ABC's Lateline unveils the cruelty

PLAY: Emma Hurst from Animal Liberation has told Neil Mitchell the vision is hideous

PLAY: Lyn White, Campaign Director for Animals Australia on 3AW Drive

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Blog comments Your Say

  • We are a nation of meat eaters, so lets not go stupid suggesting we all become vegans. But we (meaning born and breed aussies) are also a nation who should stand up and demand cameras in EVERY abbotoir, stamp out Halal and any form of cultural slaughter. Because lets face it, most of these ethnic groups wouldnt no the damm difference what was on their plate and how it was killed. I know people who work in abbitors and they say halal is very cruel, blunt knives which are used in a sawing action rather than the 'swift' motion we are lead to believe. As a nation, lets stop being soft and stand up for OUR country and our beliefs before they are stripped from us forever.

    Ange Monday 20 February, 2012 - 4:20 PM

  • What type of hideous person do they employ at these death houses? Those scumbag, brainless workers should be sacked, never to work near animals again. Perhaps they can be thrown into a cage with a few very angry and hungry rottweillers, who'll skin them alive very slowly so that they can get an idea what those dear animals went through.

    Cindy Monday 20 February, 2012 - 1:19 AM

  • I was horified at this and the fact that we are all so greedy for meat means that processing is so fast that many animals are skinned and dismembered whilst still alive. While the U.K has CCTV in 1 in 5 abbatoirs which is a good thing, the failure was on DEFRA for not prosecuting those found abusing the animals. I heard nothing about the Australian animal abusers either in Sydney or in Gippisland being prosectuted. These people are getting away with horrific crimes. Stunning is abused, knives are blunt and why are iron bars lying around slaugherhouses? The sad part is the inspections are failing as not one of these incidents was picked up during an inspection but by independant footage and througha workers. The system fails the animals and CCTV is the only option with independant regulation and severe pentalites if caught. I am glad I no longer eat dead animals.

    Australia's shame continues Sunday 19 February, 2012 - 11:12 PM

  • Typical racist Australians, critise and make an international scene about how others slaughter thier food and Australians are worse. Clearly shows just how barbaric Australians and thier culture really are. Shame on Australians.

    Neena Tuesday 14 February, 2012 - 10:50 AM

  • I refuse to go into any restaurant that sells halal meat.

    Sharon Monday 13 February, 2012 - 7:16 PM

  • i dont give a crap about whitney houston but i am appalled with this - find these culprits and charge them .... judges and courts get real and charge these people - casual employees fill out forms and employers know who they are ... and then dont just fine them give them jail time. how we want results and punishment

    wendy ward Monday 13 February, 2012 - 4:29 PM

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