Labor call for action on cruelty at abattoir

Labor has called for an Agriculture Department overhaul after allegations of animal cruelty at a Queensland abattoir.

Horses are seen at the Meramist Abattoir in Caboolture, north of Brisbane on Friday. Picture: AAP

Labor frontbencher Joel Fitz­gibbon has called for an overhaul of the “look the other way culture” within the Agriculture Department, after allegations of animal cruelty at a Queensland abattoir.

The opposition agriculture spokesman said it was “hard to fathom” how the federal regulator would not have known about the apparent kicking and beating of registered racehorses before they were slaughtered at the Meramist Abattoir at Caboolture.

The abattoir exports meat to Russia, Japan and Europe.

“It is hard to fathom how, as an export abattoir, the federal regulator wasn’t alert to the problem and worst of all, no action was taken,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.

Attorney-General Christian Porter said the government would respond to the revelations uncovered by the ABC last week.

“There is an oversight by the commonwealth with respect to organisations that need certification for export. One of these abattoirs is one of those organisations,” Mr Porter said. “It’s probably something the agriculture minister will have more to say on during the week, but I understand that at least one part of that footage demonstrates a potential breach of the standards that are required under the commonwealth supervision, and I understand that’s something that will be looked into.”

Mr Fitzgibbon urged Agriculture Minister Bridget McKenzie to enact recommendations from the Moss review of the department, commissioned by former agriculture minister David Littleproud.

“We were hopeful the ‘look the other way’ culture encouraged in the department by Barnaby Joyce had been at least in part repaired,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.

“David Littleproud did the right thing and commissioned the Moss review looking at the culture within the department. But sadly Littleproud tried too hard, was moved on in part for that reason by his National Party colleagues and the lion’s share of the Moss review’s recommendations are yet to be ­actioned by the government under Bridget McKenzie.”

Senator McKenzie will this week receive a briefing from a ­department official.

On Friday, a spokesman for the Department of Agriculture said the footage was a “great concern”.