AMID an ongoing cost-of-living crisis, it is unthinkable the Allan government is now coming after the Christmas ham.
A war has been launched by the government on the pig industry, placing one of life’s great treats and traditions under threat.
In lockstep with the radical Animal Justice Party and inner-city Greens, the Labor Party has launched its “inquiry into pig welfare in Victoria”.
Make no mistake, this is a sham inquiry to provide the loosest of justifications to place a pre-determined blowtorch on an industry that already relies on peer-reviewed, global scientific research into animal welfare.
The industry also has the overwhelming support of independent audited quality assurance programs.
The sector contributes $488 million to the Victorian economy, supports almost 2700 full-time jobs, and directly supplies our supermarket shelves.
Shutting down Victoria’s pork industry will do nothing to curb Victoria’s taste for pork. It’s our second favourite protein, and shutting down the Victorian industry will simply send thousands of Victorian jobs interstate and drive up costs at the supermarket check-out.
For a government that has spent years telling us to follow the science and the experts, the inquiry’s “Pig Welfare Survey” invites activists to provide radical and unverifiable opinions that will then be weaponised to implement restrictions and roadblocks on Victoria’s pig industry, all based on emotions rather than evidence.
It’s not hard to see why Labor is choosing activists over delicious bacon, when all but three Lower House Labor MPs relied on Greens preferences to get elected.
This is Labor selling out Victorian pork producers and the thousands of jobs it supports as part of a dirty voting preference deal.
None of this should be a surprise given Labor’s misguided and botched closure of Victoria’s native timber industry and the jobs it supports, again a result of secret backroom deals with the Greens.
Premier Allan can’t manage money, can’t manage projects and can’t be trusted to save the bacon of Victoria’s pork industry and the jobs it supports.
The Nationals will keep up the fight so we can all continue to enjoy our Christmas ham on the dining room table.
Emma Kealy
Deputy Leader of The Nationals
Shadow Minister for Agriculture
