MP calls for State Government to come clean on polo pony deaths as inquiry drags into fourth month

UPDATED: A HORSE transporter has called for those in charge of the hundreds of horses which cross Bass Strait each week on the Spirit of Tasmania ferries to be allowed to check their animals while at sea.

Fiona Fehlberg, with her horse Absolute, regularly travels with horses on the Spirit of Tasmania. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

UPDATE: A HORSE transporter has called for those in charge of the hundreds of horses which cross Bass Strait each week on the Spirit of Tasmania ferries to be allowed to check their animals while at sea.

The call comes as the equine community waits for answers about the death of 16 ponies which boarded the ship on a truck to return to the mainland after competing in a Tasmanian polo event in January.

The Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment’s investigation into the deaths is now into its fourth month.

“Until we know what happened, a cloud will hang over this whole event. This goes to the heart of whether or not the Tasmanian Government can be trusted to regulate animal welfare and to investigate when things go wrong,” Tasmanian MP Andrew Wilkie said.

NSW polo identity Andrew Williams made the grim discovery that only two of the 18 ponies he had taken on-board had survived the trip from Longford about an hour after he disembarked in Melbourne.

The horses’ travel coincided with a heatwave. However, horses travelling on a second truck on the same night were unharmed.

Fiona Fehlberg, who is a riding instructor, dressage and hacking competitor, said ferry passengers who, in the past, had asked to check on their horses had been refused entry to the vehicle deck.

“None of the horses we have taken over have ever been harmed. But a 10-minute mid-voyage check would put people’s minds at ease,” Ms Fehlberg said yesterday.

TT-Line confirmed that for “safety and security reasons” passengers were not allowed on to the vehicle decks during the voyage. “However, under special circumstances, for example if veterinary care is needed, permission could be granted. But if there are safety or security issues, the company has the right to refuse such a request,” a spokesman said.

RSPCA Tasmania chief Andrew Byrne and a horse transport company told the Mercury they were confident the mass pony deaths had been a one-off tragic incident.

Mr Byrne said that after a long discussion with a department vet, he was confident the investigation was being carried out as it should and there was not a systemic welfare problem in the transportation of horses.

“From what I have been told it seems it was a one-off tragic event which is unlikely to happen again,” Mr Byrne said.

Hayley Sheehan from Tasmanian Horse Transport said hundreds of horses cross Bass Strait each week and the death of the ponies was regarded in the industry as a shocking, but isolated, incident.

“The ship is safe and there is nothing to say they died on board,” Ms Sheehan said.

A DPIPWE spokesman yesterday said the ongoing legal investigation was complex, but based on investigations it “appears to be an isolated incident”.

EARLIER: RSPCA Tasmania chief Andrew Byrne is confident the death of 16 ponies on the Spirit of Tasmania in late January was a one-off tragic incident.

An investigation into the deaths of 16 polo ponies, which were found dead after arriving in Melbourne, is now into its fourth month.

MORE: POLO PONIES DIE IN TRANSIT AFTER BARBOUGLE EVENT

The Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and the Environment has confirmed it has received laboratory testing results and it is understood suffocation has been identified as the primary cause of death.

MORE: AUTHORITIES TIGHTLIPPED AS PONY DEATH INQUIRY CONTINUES

Mr Bryne said after a long discussion with a vet from the department, he was confident the investigation was being carried out meticulously and there was not a systemic welfare problem in the transportation of animals to and from the mainland.

“Post-mortem [examination] results do not tell you everything but they can point you in the right direction. From what I have been told, it seems it was a one-off tragic event which is unlikely to happen again,” Mr Byrne said.

“However I do think we need stronger guidelines on how animals are transported on trucks and on ships.

“Then we wouldn’t be asking ‘were the horses checked, was there water, was the temperature comfortable?’ because those things would be stipulated in the guidelines.

“A set of firm transport principles would also help cement people’s trust in moving animals across Bass Strait.”

Polo being played at Barnbougle. Picture: STUART GIBSON

The department does have a set of guidelines for the transport of animals during transit in Tasmanian waters, which include preparing livestock before the journey and ensuring they are fit to travel. They also cover road and shipping protocols, prompt delivery, and stipulate that consideration be given to feed and water requirements and adequate shelter from weather and seas.

Independent Denison MHR Andrew Wilkie said it “beggared belief” that Tasmanians still did not know the circumstances surrounding the death of the ponies.

“Until we know what happened, a cloud will hang over this whole event. This goes to the heart of whether or not the Tasmanian Government can be trusted to regulate animal welfare and to investigate when things go wrong.

“I would be horrified if the Government is covering this up to protect anyone or anything.

“But until the results of this investigation are released and we know the truth, serious doubts will remain about animal and crew safety on the Spirit of Tasmania, the effectiveness of the department as a regulator and everyone else involved in the episode.

“Honesty and transparency are a fundamental measure of a government’s integrity and in this case the State Government is failing miserably.”

The 16 A-Grade polo ponies had been in Tasmania to compete in January’s Barnbougle Polo event, near Bridport.

Until the results of this investigation are released and we know the truth, serious doubts will remain about animal and crew safety on the Spirit of Tasmania, the effectiveness of the department as a regulator and everyone else involved in the episode — Andrew Wilkie.

The horses’ travel coincided with a heatwave that crossed south-eastern Australia on the Australia Day long weekend. However, horses travelling on a second truck on the same night were unharmed.

Pony owner Andrew Williams, a former Australian polo team captain, said he saw 18 healthy horses on his truck just before departure in Tasmania. An hour after leaving the boat in Melbourne, he discovered 16 of them were dead.

The investigation is being led by Tasmania’s DPIPWE with assistance from chief veterinary officers in Victoria and NSW, and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.

Post-mortem tests were carried out by the Wagga Wagga Equine Hospital, where Mr Williams took the horses after the shock discovery.

An initial investigation by the AMSA found the Spirit of Tasmania vessel and its operator TT-Line appeared to have complied with requirements relating to the carriage of livestock.