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LIV calls for CCTV to monitor animal slaughter
CCTV systems should be mandatory in areas where animals are slaughtered as opposed to increasing penalties for trespassers, according to the Law Institute of Victoria (LIV).
Naomi Neilson
LIV president Stuart Webb said it would be worthwhile to remove motives for activists to trespass after Agriculture Minister Jaclyn Symes said in 12 months, there were two instances of trespass in Victoria, three in the east and six in the south.
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“We understand that a delicate balance must be made to uphold the need for business owners to be free from the ongoing threats of trespass and disruption, while upholding animal welfare to acceptable standards,” Mr Webb said of CCTV systems.
LIV recommended that legislation be implemented to require CCTV contained in their submission to the Legislative Council Economy and infrastructure committee inquiry into the impact of animal rights activism on Victorian agriculture.
Mr Webb said he believed such CCTV systems should operate during operation hours and business owners would be required to retain footage for up to 90 days.
“If the government accepted our recommendation it would uphold the reputation of the agriculture industry and remove the motivation for animal activists to trespass,” he said.
LIV said this is opposed to recent responses to activists by Queensland, NSW and the federal government to impose harsher treatment for trespassing.
The proposed federal legislation “provides harsh penalties” for those using a carriage service to incite activism. The Law Council of Australia said it is concerned legislation could infringe on the constitutionally protected implied right to political communication and by its potential to stifle legitimate public debate, of which LIV agrees.
The LIV acknowledged the widely reported rise of animal activists’ trespasses and said it has raised concerns of potential breaches of food safety and biosecurity protocols in addition to causing ongoing distress to members of the community.
Mr Webb said to protect from this harm, it is “imperative” that regular monitoring of the abattoirs is taking place, which could mean granting additional powers to the RSPCA or other animal rights and protections groups to conduct routine inspections.
“This would ensure conditions and practices comply with ethical standards and ensure the proper installation and maintenance of CCTV,” LIV said.
