Victoria’s largest slaughterhouse makes changes after federal animal welfare probe

Diamond Valley Pork has corrected “shortcomings” after a video showing animals being gassed and caught in a gondola was investigated by authorities.

A federal officer has been stationed at Victoria’s largest pig abattoir – Diamond Valley Pork – to monitor for animal welfare and regulatory compliance while the slaughterhouse has also voluntarily introduced corrective actions following a Commonwealth investigation.

The federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry launched the probe after receiving a complaint alleging animal welfare noncompliance following animal activists’ releasing video in late March of pigs being gassed and caught in a gondola inside the company’s Laverton plant.

DAFF acting deputy secretary Matthew Koval said DVP, which processes 13,500 pigs a week, voluntarily introduced corrective actions “to overcome some of those shortcomings”.

Animal activists after storming a Victorian slaughterhouse to protest the stunning of pigs. Picture: Farm Transparency Project

“We will continue to maintain a focus on ensuring that the changes they’ve made deliver the expectations of us and the law regarding animal welfare outcomes,” he told a Senate estimates hearing.

Measures include the placement of material in gondolas to ensure they remained clear during processing.

“That way, they can make sure that there are no stunned pigs in there that could get trampled. That was seen in the footage. We are ensuring that we have an on-plant presence. We have an officer there,” he said.

“Initially, we have made sure they increased the number of times they go past and look in on those side of things to make sure it is operating the way it is intended.”

It is unknown how long the officer will remain at DVP.

The footage, which gained worldwide media exposure and was provided to the department as part of the complaint, was inspected by the DAFF animal welfare branch while a senior DAFF veterinary officer and a national area technical manager also inspected the abattoir.

DAV management were interviewed by DAFF officials while workers have been tested to ensure they are able to handle animals as per best practice procedures.

However, the department will not insist DVP install CCTV in and near the carbon dioxide gas chambers, but will monitor to ensure its policies and processes meet with federal regulatory requirements.

All parties have been informed of the department’s findings.

As DVP has export approval it is licensed under both the Commonwealth and state regimes. Victoria’s animal-welfare regulator, PrimeSafe Victoria, is conducting its own DVP investigation and was contacted for comment. DVP was also contacted.

PrimeSafe also launched investigations into two smaller abattoirs – the Australian Food Group at Laverton and CA Sinclair’s abattoir at Benalla.

AFG has since closed down its killing floor after PrimeSafe told the company it was considering varying its licence to require the installation of CCTV so it could monitor its processes.

CCTV cameras is not mandatory at meat processing facilities under Australian standards.