Additional footage showing what activists allege to be instances of animal cruelty at yet another Tasmanian abattoir has been released.
The Farm Transparency Project (FTP) released the footage on Thursday they say was captured at the Ten Mile Enterprises Meat Facility in Springfield, owned by Scottsdale Pork.
The groups claims that the abattoir was built as a result of “government corruption and shady backroom deals” and is now demanding its immediate closure.
“The footage shows pigs being hit across the face and body, kicked and crushed with heavy metal doors by workers, as well as apparently conscious pigs being tipped into a tank of scalding water,” the transparency project said.
“Despite being a private abattoir, primarily servicing Scottsdale Pork’s own nearby piggery, Tasmania’s Liberal government granted $2 million to Scottsdale Pork to assist in the build.”
Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff described the treatment as “appalling and brutal” and urged the government to take action.
“The situation at Scottsdale abattoir has been well known because there has not been CCTV monitoring in that abattoir, or other abattoirs in Tasmania,” she said.
“The Liberals have been aware of this for at least seven years and have done nothing.”
Scottsdale Pork is now the third Tasmanian slaughterhouse that the Farm Transparency Project claims to have exposed in recent weeks, following the release of footage allegedly captured at the Local Meat Co in Sheffield and Tasmanian Quality Meats.
The government had previously announced the formation of a task force to review animal welfare standards and consider the mandatory installation of CCTV cameras in abattoirs.
Primary Industries Minister Jo Palmer expressed disappointment upon viewing the latest footage and defended the government’s decision to provide $2 million in funding to its owners.
“We were facing the situation where there was a threat that that facility was actually going to close, and that would have huge impacts on our Tasmanian farmers,” she said.
“So we had to step up as a government to ensure we were able to process pork on island, to ensure that that was a good outcome for our farmers.”
“There are standards that we expect all abattoirs across Tasmania to meet, and if they don’t, there are consequences and we are seeing those consequences play out now.”
“If Scottsdale Pork is found through investigations that they have not conducted their business property, there will be consequences.”
Scottsdale Pork has not yet issued a public response to the allegations made by The Farm Transparency Project.
