Biosecurity Tasmania has closed its investigations into five Tasmanian abattoirs without laying charges, more than two years after hidden camera footage sparked outrage over alleged animal cruelty.
The Department of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) Tasmania said on Tuesday all investigations had been finalised, with “no further regulatory action required”.
The investigation began in December 2023 after animal advocacy group Farm Transparency Project released confronting footage from five slaughterhouses.
Activists had secretly entered the facilities months earlier to install cameras, capturing footage they alleged showed animals being killed while fully conscious, along with other welfare breaches.
The abattoirs included Tasmanian Quality Meats, Scottsdale Pork, The Local Meat Co, Wal’s Bulk Foods and Gretna Meatworks.
The department said the footage was obtained without the landowners’ knowledge or consent and was “determined to be unlikely to be admissible due to the circumstances in which it was obtained”.
“As a result, there was insufficient admissible evidence to sustain a prosecution,” the department said.
Four of the five abattoirs were issued compliance notices under the Primary Produce Safety Act 2011 during the investigation.
The notices required operators to put systems in place to minimise animal welfare incidents and ensure appropriate staff training.
All notices have been fully complied with, according to the department.
The case prompted the Tasmanian government to establish a Livestock Processing Taskforce in late 2023, which recommended mandatory CCTV in all abattoirs.
Video surveillance is now required in processing facilities, with Tasmania the first state to introduce the measure.
