WAFarmers has welcomed the decision of Victorian Supreme Court Justice Andrew Keogh to dismiss the claims of an animal activist group that an abattoir in Benalla operated by CA Sinclair Pty Ltd (Sinclair) should be banned from using Carbon Dioxide (CO2) to stun pigs before termination.
Justice Keogh remarked that Animals Australia took the civil action against Sinclair despite having “no relevant ties to the area or the community” and because it, “has demonstrated through its activities at a national, state, and industry level that it fundamentally opposes the use of gassing systems to stun pigs in the process of slaughter.”
It was also noted that Animals Australia has given itself a wide remit based around lobbying against live export, recreational shooting and puppy farming, as well as contributing to international animal welfare policy and standards through bodies such as the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) – which ironically considers carbon dioxide to be a humane and acceptable method of stunning for pigs.
While the final outcome is very important because it does not set legal precedents that increase the influence of activist groups in important policy matters, it was especially pleasing that the Judge included these insightful and valuable comments in his analysis:
By bringing this proceeding, Animals Australia is effectively seeking to step into the shoes of the regulator. To Sinclair, with whom Animals Australia has no relationship, it is a busybody in a proceeding that requires Sinclair to defend the legality of its actions at great cost and inconvenience.
WAFarmers will continue to support sensible legal and policy decisions that support the often challenging, yet essential, work of our farming communities.
Read the full decision here.
