TONY ROYCE

As you are no doubt aware an extreme case of animal cruelty has been exposed here in northern Tasmania. An unbelievably dismissive response to the gravity of the event has been received by me from Woolworths and as a consequence I have sent the reply, shown below, to this response as well as the attached letter to the CEO of Woolworths which also details other unacceptable activities of this monopolistic organisation. It would be appreciated if you can publish my complaint.

“I have received a wholly inadequate reply, dated 22-5-09, to my recent complaint regarding the outrageous conditions which have existed at a piggery here in northern Tasmania from which you “fresh food people” purchase pork.

The reply stated that, “We were not happy with conditions . . .” This is an incredible low key response to a situation of major degradation and appalling animal cruelty.

Then another statement, “no prior history of poor practice, we opted to give this farm a chance to improve.” Rubbish! You do not give second chances in a situation such as this. Clearly this is an attempted cover up by “the fresh food people” for their own lack of quality control and deception about the quality of food they are purchasing for the totally unsuspecting public.

“This farm was subject to an independent audit process and was last audited in November 2008.” I want to see this audit and I want to know who carried it out! Do the “fresh food people” really expect the consumers to swallow this too, along with maggot infested pork?

“We believe this to be an Isolated incident . . .” Rubbish! This is just the tip of the iceberg and “the fresh food people” damn well know it!

“Woolworths had already begun a process of reviewing animal welfare standards across the business.” Prove it! Show us the records. Show us the cancelled contracts because of the shocking incidents of filth, degradation and animal cruelty that you have encountered so far . . . this farmer should be taken to court by Woolworths and sued for failing to honour the conditions of the contract, or did you not have any conditions of hygiene, cleanliness, animal welfare and supply of “FRESH FOOD” in the contract?

This whole affair is a shocking indictment of the monstrous monopolistic organisation that Woolworths is, how it has endeavoured to cover up a totally unacceptable situation and how it deceives its customers!”