Animals Australia paid a live export worker knowing the man was partly ‘motivated by money’
Animals Australia paid a live export worker for leaked images of animal cruelty even after the organisation was told he was partly “motivated by money”. New emails obtained by The Daily Telegraph reveal the whistleblower also negotiated more money after saying the amount was “much lower than expected”.
The animal activist organisation at the centre of the cash for cruelty scandal paid a live export worker for leaked images even after it was told he was partly “motivated by money”.
New emails obtained by The Daily Telegraph also reveal how a whistleblower negotiated to get more cash from Animals Australia after he complained payments were “much lower than expectations”.
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The Telegraph has also obtained details of a $US2000 transaction from Animals Australia to a live export worker. The organisation had previously denied paying whistleblowers for cruelty images.
Emails show Animals Australia campaign director Lyn White used one whistleblower to connect her with multiple live export workers who were paid for images and videos.
In an email sent on May 28 Ms White asked about the motivation of one of the workers.
The whistleblower replied: “First of all he didn’t have any idea that it is curality (sic) against cattles. When I told him and showed Fazal’s video then he came to know that it is curality (sic) of animals. Both the money and taking care of sheeps (sic) motivating him.”
Fazal refers to Fazal Ullah - the Pakistani whistleblower who provided footage for 60 Minutes expose on the Live Export industry.
Last week The Daily Telegraph revealed he himself had previously been disciplined for allegedly beating a cattle with a stick.
Another email by the whistleblower to Ms White on March 16 complained about how much he was being paid.
“I send you around 80 images/videos. If we select 40 of them only its around 2000$. you paid only 500$. If I worked and talk like this with any of my fellow in Pakistan he could donate my more than this,” the whistleblower said.
On June 12 Ms White told the whistleblower she had transferred $2000 into his account. Pakistani live export workers are paid about $US350 per month.
Earlier last year on May 25, Ms White told the whistleblower he had “made her day” by telling her he had friends on ships who could help supply her with footage and videos.
In another email she discussed using a friend in Karachi to make payments to him.
In response to questions Animals Australia CEO Glenys Oogjes said: “As the defacto watchdog of the live trade for over a decade — a role the recent Moss Review confirmed — our procedures continue to be completely open to the regulator or any other authority for scrutiny.”
She said it was only after independently corroborated evidence into the live export trade the government created a dedicated whistleblower hotline.
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