AUSTRALIA: Aussie beef promoted as 'non-stunned'

By Fiona Myers

Australian meat is being marketed as "non-stunned" in the Middle East.

The NSW Farmers Association's animal welfare chairman, Peter Carter, made the startling claim last week, as he called on the NSW Government to cancel exemptions from pre-slaughter stunning.

At least 11 Australian export or domestic abattoirs do not stun stock before slaughtering them. Stunning has been the critical factor in the banning and re-emergence of the Indonesian live cattle trade.

Graphic TV footage of animals being inhumanely killed in Indonesia without stunning prompted the Federal Government ban. Locally, exemptions from pre-slaughter stunning had been passed off as relating to small abattoirs.

Dr Carter said there were reports of "one place in Dubai that is advertising meat from unstunned Australian animals".

"I've also heard that Australian abattoirs are being asked by Middle East buyers to supply non-stunned meat, and they are rightly saying no," he said.

Dr Carter said one advertisement in Dubai implied the animals were not stunned at all; however, exemptions in Australia meant they could be stunned up to three seconds after the killing blow was struck.

Exemptions have been given by state authorities for animals stunned afterward in this way, to comply with kosher and Halal requirements. Meat and Livestock Australia declined to comment.

Earlier this month, the RSPCA sent a letter to all State Governments asking them to withdraw exemptions from stunning before slaughter.

It said "the slaughter of fully conscious animals is inhumane and completely unnecessary".

"You will be aware that the public's understanding of ritual slaughter practices in Australia has risen significantly in recent weeks following the revelation of abject cruelty to cattle in Indonesian slaughtering facilities," the letter said.

"The general public is quite horrified that slaughter without the prior stunning of the animal is also permitted in Australia."

An RSPCA spokesman did not believe introducing pre-slaughter stunning into these abattoirs would be a problem.

A spokesman for Agriculture Minister Peter Walsh confirmed Victorian four abattoirs had an exemption from stunning; "however, not all of them exercise the exemption".

She said all states were in "consultations with stakeholders" and would report to the Primary Industries ministerial council later this year.