ETHICAL INVESTMENT LAWS NEEDED

AMANDA VANSTONE IN PIGGERY ROW

By David CrawshawJuly 13, 2006

A PIGGERY part-owned by Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone is breaching industry guidelines by keeping pigs in cramped conditions, animal welfare activists allege.Animal Liberation said it lodged a complaint yesterday with South Australian police, complaining of conditions at Wasleys Piggery, near Gawler. Senator Vanstone yesterday said she owned shares in the piggery but had nothing to do with the running of the operation, thought to be one of the largest in SA.
She said she did not condone cruelty to animals.
"I am simply one shareholder in this business," Senator Vanstone said through a spokesman.
"I have nothing to do with the running of it. Any suggestion that I support cruelty to animals is both untrue and defamatory."
Animal Liberation executive director Mark Pearson said Senator Vanstone had shares in the piggery worth more than $1 million. He said her husband, Tony, was a director of the operation.
Further details were being sought from Senator Vanstone's office on the size and nature of her stake in the piggery, and her husband's involvement. Mr Pearson said the piggery was breaching industry codes of practice by keeping pigs in severe confinement.
The group released images appearing to show pigs in cages barely big enough for them to move.
"Not only are the pigs tormented by the cruelty of their confinement where they can never walk or even turn around but they are kept in cages that are even smaller than federal regulations allow," Mr Pearson said.
"An urgent, thorough . . . investigation is crucial to ensure help is provided for these desperate animals."
There was no answer when Wasleys Piggery management was contacted last night.