NSW Fines or Jail for Using Gassing Devices to Stun Pigs in Abattoirs

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Amendment (Gassing Devices Prohibition) Bill 2023

Private Member's Bill

28 Jun 2023: MPs in the first house are debating whether this bill is a good idea in principle.

Legislative Council

Legislative Assembly

Assent

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Topics

animal welfare criminal offences criminal penalties gassing devices livestock penalty units public safety slaughterhouses

Introduced by: Emma Hurst MLC (AJP)

Links to official parliament websites

Official page: progress through parliament

Official page: bill text and explanatory notes

Effects of this bill

If this bill passes, it means that:

People cannot use or permit the use of gassing devices to stun pigs in abattoirs, including dip lift, oval tunnel, or paternoster systems.
Individuals who use gassing devices on pigs in abattoirs can be fined up to 1,000 penalty units (2026: $110,000) or face up to 2 years jail, or both.
Companies or other entities that use gassing devices on pigs in abattoirs can be fined up to 5,000 penalty units (2026: $550,000).
People accused of using gassing devices on pigs in abattoirs cannot use certain legal defences to avoid the charge.
Guidelines for animal welfare have no effect if they conflict with the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 or its regulations.

News articles and press releases

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Amendment (Gassing Devices Prohibition) Bill 2023

The Hon. EMMA HURST — 2023-06-28

The bill is straightforward and to the point. It seeks to amend the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 to make it an offence to use gassing devices on pigs in abattoirs. To that end, the bill inserts new section 16A, which makes it an offence for a person to use, cause or permit the use of a gassing device on a pig in an abattoir. The section defines gassing device to mean a device that exposes a pig to gas or a combination of gases to induce loss of consciousness.