THE religious ritual slaughter of conscious animals will be allowed to continue at some Australian abattoirs, after a decision by federal and state agriculture ministers.
The move has angered animal welfare groups, which have waited two years for a review ordered by the previous federal government into the practice of ritually slaughtering animals by cutting their throats while they are still conscious for some halal and kosher exports to the Middle East.
RSPCA Australia said it was an "unconscionable decision" for a government that said it was committed to animal welfare. "No animal should have to feel the pain of having its throat cut while fully conscious - it is simply cruel and inhumane," said the RSPCA's scientific officer, Melina Tensen.
Four Victorian abattoirs have been allowed to kill animals without stunning for more than two years after being granted exemptions to the ritual slaughter standard requiring animals to be stunned unconscious.
Federal Agriculture Minister Tony Burke said they were the only four of Australia's 74 exporting abattoirs that had approval to kill without stunning and no new requests or approvals had been made since August 2007.
"The animal welfare community has put together a framework where management practices will be adopted that are compatible with the individual abattoir's operation that will reduce the potential impact to the animal," Mr Burke said.
He did not elaborate on what the practices were that would reduce the animals' suffering.
The Primary Industries Ministerial Council (state and federal agriculture ministers) said it would continue to consult with religious, industry and animal welfare groups.
But Animals Australia slammed the decision yesterday, saying that cutting the throats of conscious animals was barbaric and unacceptable to Australians. It said: "Any suggestion of further consultation on this issue is ludicrous - there has been 2½ years of consultation but the science and the sad truth does not change."
A spokeswoman for Victorian Agriculture Minister Joe Helper said he welcomed the outcome of the council's meeting in Perth on Friday. "The council agreed to publicly release the two scientific reports and engage in further consultation with all concerned parties - religious groups, meat processors and animal welfare organisations - with the aim of making any ritual slaughter practice as humane as possible."
The decision follows last week's plea from Princess Alia bint al-Hussein of Jordan to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to stop the ritual slaughter without stunning as it undermined efforts to improve animal welfare in the Middle East.
Last year, Australia exported 1.5 million tonnes of red meat, of which 5316 tonnes came from animals killed without stunning.
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