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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2025-09-04 Daily Xml
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Pig Deaths

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (14:45): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before addressing a question to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development on possible pig deaths.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS: PigPass is a national tracking scheme that provides real-time information on the movements of all pigs in Australia. This enables authorities to quickly determine the source of a disease outbreak and notify people with pigs in the affected area to stop the spread of such a disease. A PigPass national vendor declaration form must be completed when there is any movement of pigs from a property. This applies to all pig owners and producers regardless of the number of pigs moved.

From 1 February 2018, state and territory governments introduced mandatory reporting of all pig movements to the PigPass database, with failure to comply potentially seeing a penalty notice. When transporting pigs off a property, owners must complete a PigPass NVD, ensuring all info has been completed in full, including the destination PIC. The receiver must close the loop by reporting the movement online using the originating sender's serial number from the PigPass NVD.

All members of this upper house have received correspondence from a former minister from the Rann era, Rory McEwen; indeed, he was a Rann cabinet minister for local government; forests; industry, trade and regional development; small business; and agriculture, food and fisheries. I imagine he is well known to the minister. He has reported to us all that on 12 February 2024, 288 pigs—the usual weekly consignment—were loaded at the Wondaphil piggery consigned by Coles to Big River Pork in Murray Bridge on account of SunPork. He claims there were 11 dead pigs on the load from Wondaphil and that they can be seen on CCTV footage.

There was a discussion between the yardman and the driver, and there was a note on the transport driver's copy noting seven DOAs (dead on arrival). The truck then left the site without cause of death having been ascertained. Mr McEwen goes on to claim that, the next morning, Dale Pemberton of Coles was directed by BRP and SunPork to have the producer alter the number on the NVD, known as the PigPass, from 288 to 277 and fax a copy back to Big River Pork. I understand a copy of this statutory declaration was also sent to the Chief Veterinary Officer in March 2024. My questions to the minister are:

1. When was the minister first informed of allegations that a national vendor declaration was altered to cover up 11 dead pigs, and what action has she or her department taken in response to these assertions?

2. What reason does the department give for the alteration of the paperwork from 288 to 277?

3. Was all of this compliant with reporting requirements, and have any penalties been made?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:48): I thank the honourable member for her question. In terms of when I was made aware, I am going from memory, but I think it was around April or May. In May 2024, PIRSA was made aware of an incident involving a consignment of pigs from Victoria to South Australia in February 2024—so it obviously must have been May, from my memory, not April—which raised concerns about animal welfare and traceability.

PIRSA investigated in line with their regulatory responsibilities for enforcing the Livestock Act 1997 and Livestock Regulations 2013, which contain a number of provisions relating to traceability of livestock, including pigs. No breaches of South Australian legislation were found.

PIRSA has taken all necessary steps to ensure South Australian, interstate and commonwealth regulators and industry bodies were provided with necessary information and evidence relating to the incident for actioning as appropriate. However, the outcomes of investigations are not communicated to third parties.

PIRSA has also undertaken a number of actions to ensure systems improvement and education of relevant members of the supply chain. PIRSA is continuing to work with Australian Pork Limited through the Jurisdictional Traceability Group and the chair of the SAFEMEAT Advisory Group to improve the PigPass database and the information uploaded to it.

The incident involved alleged breaches relating to traceability and animal welfare. A summary of the key findings of the incident are as follows. According to my advice, weather conditions on the day were very hot. Eleven pigs were found dead on arrival. On 15 February 2024, BRP uploaded information to the PigPass database, indicating the consignment included 288 pigs processed on 15 February 2024. PigPass is the document recognised as the national vendor declaration movement documentation in relation to pigs.

My advice is that the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry On Plant Veterinarian (OPV) drafted an animal welfare incident report providing information to BRP management. Once made aware in May 2024 , PIRSA investigated and notified other relevant regulatory authorities. I re-emphasise that no breaches of the Livestock Act 1997 or the Livestock Regulations 2013 were found.

A number of issues were identified: the failure of BRP to complete part E of the PigPass document to indicate they had received pigs, how many they had received or the conditions of the pigs on arrival. However, this is not a mandatory requirement under the Livestock Regulations of 2013.

In regard to the alleged discrepancy in reported pig numbers, it is important to understand that the primary evidence in this matter is the original PigPass copy, which has all of the original data and the evidence. PIRSA has no evidence that this document was changed and the number of pigs uploaded to the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) was 288.

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