Tuesday, 18 June 2024

Animal welfare

Georgie PURCELL (Northern Victoria) (13:47): (562) My question is for the Minister for Agriculture in the other place. In March a shocking case of bestiality was captured by whistleblowers from the Farm Transparency Project at Midland Bacon in my electorate. In the footage a man can be seen committing multiple forms of sexual violence on a sow trapped inside a farrowing crate. Shockingly, not all of his heinous acts are considered illegal in Victoria. While we have called for strengthened laws to prevent this happening to more animals, at the same time almost 27,000 people signed a petition demanding that this individual pig, now named Olivia, be rescued from the industry and released to a sanctuary, yet to this day she remains at the very scene of the crime. Will the minister intervene to ensure the safe release of Olivia the pig?

Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (13:48): I will refer that to the minister.

Georgie PURCELL (Northern Victoria) (13:48): Thank you, Attorney, for referring that on. The 7.30 report that detailed Olivia’s horrific abuse also revealed the extreme confinement pigs are subjected to in farms across Victoria. The standard size of sow stalls and farrowing crates is roughly the same size as a fully grown pig. It is not possible for them to turn around, let alone escape from physical violence. Acknowledging the extreme cruelty of sow stalls, the pork industry announced they would volunteer to phase out their use by 2017. Seven years on, the most recent footage captured by whistleblowers showed that they are still being used. Will the government finally legislate a complete ban on sow stalls and farrowing crates in their new animal care and protection legislation?

Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (13:49): I am happy to refer it; I just do not think it relates to the substantive question. But I can refer it.

The PRESIDENT: Ms Purcell, would you like to rephrase the supplementary question so it refers to the substantive?

Georgie Purcell: It was about confinement – both of them.

The PRESIDENT: We will get you to respond to the substantive.