Piggery- Animal Cruelty Case

Submitted by Lynn MacLaren on Mon, 20/09/2010 - 14:13

Question Without Notice No. 358 asked in the Legislative Council on 17 June 2010 by Hon Lynn Maclaren
Parliament: 38 Session: 1


PIGGERY — ANIMAL CRUELTY CASE

358. Hon LYNN MacLAREN to the minister representing the Minister for Local Government:

(1) Can the minister confirm that a case of animal cruelty was investigated in relation to a local piggery that was subject to a visit by animal rights’ activists?

(2) Were charges of animal cruelty dropped?

(3) If yes to (2), why were the charges dropped?

(4) As there is no pending legal process, will the minister detail the circumstances leading to an attempt to prosecute on the grounds of animal cruelty?

Hon PETER COLLIER replied:

I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.

(1) A company operating a piggery, and two of its employees, were investigated and subsequently charged with one count each of being cruel to an animal contrary to section 19(1) and 19(3)(h) of the state’s Animal Welfare Act 2002. The animal was a pig identified by the former Department of Local Government and Regional Development during a search of the piggery in January 2007.

(2) Charges against the three accused were discontinued.

(3) The charges were discontinued after a review by trial counsel within the State Solicitor’s Office. It would not be appropriate to state the reasons the charges were discontinued as it would reveal advice provided by the State Solicitor’s Office.

(4) I refer the honourable member to the answer provided in (1).