A number of Victorian MPs have staged a walkout from a parliamentary inquiry into pig welfare.
Tensions flared as the ministers and animal welfare activists discussed the future of the pigmeat industry.
MPs Bev McArthur, Gaelle Broad and Dr Renee Heath exited the parliamentary hearing room in Melbourne on Tuesday morning.
The members of the Legislative Council Economy and Infrastructure Committee were hearing from representatives of the Farm Transparency Project (FTP), an animal rights group responsible for obtaining footage from Victorian piggeries demonstrating what they said were cruel practices.
The committee was chaired by MInister for Northern Victoria Georgie Purcell, a member of the Animal Justice Party.
The FTP showed footage of a pig farm worker carrying out an act of beastality on a farm in Victoria last year.
FTP executive director Chris Delforce and activist Harley McDonald-Eckersall attended the hearing.
Before their footage could be shown, Ms McArthur, Minister for Western Victoria, said it was "outrageous" that the group's footage be aired at a parliamentary meeting.
"I think it is outrageous that we're presenting this set of material and I don't want to condone it," she said.
Ms McArthur said the group had obtained their pig farm footage illegally through trespassing on farms and accused FTP of practices which threaten biosecurity.
Ms Broad, Member for Northern Victoria, and Dr Heath, Member for Eastern Victoria, joined Ms McArthur as she exited the hearing room.
The trio took aim at FTP for its recommendations to phase out the Victorian pig industry.
Ms McArthur highlighted that both Mr Delforce and Ms McDonald-Eckersall were vegans.
Ms Broad also pointed out that Mr Delforce was previously a political candidate for the Animal Justice Party and was known to committee chair Georgie Purcell MP.
Ms Purcell refuted that her connection to Mr Delforce made his participation in the hearing inappropriate, and sought to shut down the point made.
Ms McArthur said 90 per cent of the pigmeat produced in Australia was consumed locally and the industry was a key employer.
"Victoria is a key contributor to the Australian pig industry," she said.
Mr Delforce and Ms McDonald-Eckersall said due to the cruelty within the pig industry, its full phase out was the only viable option.
The pair said practices such as tail cutting, teeth clipping, the use of farrowing crates and carbon dioxide stunning during pig slaughter were unethical.
Ms Delforce said pig farming for profit and animal welfare could not go "hand in hand".
Ms McArthur asked the FTP representatives if they had any proposals on what farmers forced to exit pig farming could do in future, and accused the group of not considering what this would cost taxpayers.
Mr Delforce said such farmers could go into agri tourism, the production of plant-based meats or growing hemp.
Ms McArthur accused the group of "wanting to kill the meat and livestock industry" in Australia.
She also asked the group if they considered the "anguish" of pig farmers and workers when activists illegally trespass on their farms.
Ms McDonald-Eckersall said the practice was necessary as there was a need to uncover the animal cruelty the activists witnessed.
"If these industries were transparent on their own, we wouldn't be forced to do these things," Mr Delforce said.
Ms Broad asked Mr Delforce to clarify if FTP activists were breaking the law.
Mr Delforce said they "absolutely" were.
"It's the only way anyone is going to see [the cruelty]," he said.
"By all means charge us and send us to jail."
Ms Broad also asked the FTP representatives who paid their legal fees in such a scenario.
Mr Delforce said this was "ideally" covered by the individual activists involved in farm trespassing but that FTP supported activists where they could afford to.
Ms Heath asked Mr Delforce at what stage would his group cease trespassing on pig farms.
"Only when there's a full phase out," he said, adding that even steps such as a ban on carbon dioxide stunning would not be sufficient.
Ms Heath said pigmeat was the second most consumed meat in Victoria and asked if the FTP thought there should also be an end to pigmeat imports.
Ms McDonald-Eckersall said the immediate focus was on the welfare of pigs in Victoria and broader Australia but imports would become part of the overall "discussion".
The FTP representatives said consumers cared about the welfare of pigs on farms in Victoria and they had a right to know what was actually going on there.
