'Nothing but further delays': Greens call for slaughterhouse report

Established by former Minister for Primary Industries Jo Palmer, the taskforce aimed to improve animal welfare in livestock processing facilities.

It came after hidden camera footage featuring animal abuse in five Tasmanian slaughterhouses was released by the Farm Transparency Project.

Six months on, Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff has criticised the Liberal leadership for failing to deliver on its report.

"It's been more than a month since a much-anticipated taskforce report into Tasmanian slaughterhouses was due to be released, but the public is still in the dark," she said.

"We've got farmers, people in the community and animal activists all asking questions and nothing's changed."

While Dr Woodruff believed Mrs Palmer "had failed to do her job", she said the succeeding primary industries minister Jane Howlett had an opportunity to immediately release the report's findings.

"She professes to really care about animal welfare, we want to see the evidence of that," she said.

"The results of this taskforce were supposed to be released by the fifth of March, but we've seen nothing but further delays.

"Given the gravity of this issue, and the level of community outrage, this situation is completely unacceptable."

The Greens' claim originates from a motion raised by former independent MP John Tucker in December 2023.

It called on the minister "to take immediate action to address any regulatry failures and to report to the House in the first sitting week of 2024".

The motion required an audit of animal welfare standards in all licenced slaughterhouses and the installation of 24-hour surveillance of stun and slaughter rooms.

Dr Woodruff said Tasmanians who saw the footage by the Farm Transparency Project hadn't forgotten and wouldn't forget.

"There is no good reason why the government can't immediately release the taskforce's report," she said.

"It seems the Liberals are delaying in the hope the footage that shocked Tasmanians will be forgotten, and people will be distracted by other issues on the return of Parliament."

But the government says there's no report coming, with a spokesperson attributing the criticisms to a miscommunication.

They said the taskforce would not be delivering a report, but reporting back to the House.

Minister for Primary Industries Jane Howlett said all abattoirs were notified in March that mandatory video surveillance must be operating within three months.

"The taskforce is also developing guidelines for livestock processing facilities, including facility design, pre-slaughter care and handling, and emergency killing," she said.

"Two new animal welfare officers were appointed in December and our 2030 strong plan for Tasmania's future includes an additional $1.2 million for Biosecurity Tasmania over three years."