Goat slaughter footage could hold key to press freedom
As the case heads to the Supreme Court, whistleblower lawyers say the use of images of slaughtered goats could affect future press freedom in Australia.
Strange events have occurred due to a new legal strategy implemented by a Victorian slaughterhouse accused of animal abuse.
In 2024, animal welfare activists Farm Transparency trespassed on Game Meats Company property to capture footage of what they claimed were cruel practices.
Farm Transparency forwarded the footage to Seven news outlet, which received an injunction by Game Meats Company to block the broadcast.
In the two years since then, the legal dispute has moved to the Federal Court and will head to Australia’s top court this week on appeal.
At the center of the dispute is who the images belong to.
“Copyright traditionally belongs to the creators of this material,” said Peter Greste, executive director of the Alliance for Freedom of Journalists.
“The moment you make a movie, write a book, write an article, the copyright passes to you.”
Game Meats Company’s lawyers argued in the Federal Court last year that the copyright should belong to them.
“I am impressed by the lawyers making this argument,” Mr. Greste said.
“But we’re really concerned about the way copyright law is being used in a way it was never intended.”
Mr Greste said the “unprecedented” decision should be overturned by the Supreme Court or it “risks giving those seeking to cover up wrongdoing additional legal ammunition to shut down public interest journalism”.
Kieran Pender, of the Human Rights Law Centre’s Whistleblowing Project, said if copyright laws were reinterpreted by the court it could act as a deterrent to those seeking to expose wrongdoing.
“History shows that when criminals are given legal tools to silence whistleblowers and journalists, those tools are used and that’s bad for Australians,” he said.
The matter was heard by the Supreme Court in a one-day hearing on Tuesday and the decision is expected in the coming months.
Farm Transparency was also ordered by the Federal Court to pay $130,000 in damages for trespassing.
AAP has sought comment from Game Meats Company.
