The slaughter and butchery of up to 10 pigs at a council-owned Men's Shed in the centre of the small south-west Victorian town of Forrest has sparked a multi-agency investigation.
Police said two pigs were believed to have been killed at the community group's shed using a firearm, and eight other pigs and potentially a couple of sheep were slaughtered elsewhere and then butchered at the shed.
Forrest police Leading Senior Constable Matt Roberts said complaints from concerned residents prompted police and the Colac-Otway Shire Council to look into the incident, which is believed to have happened between June 7 and 9.
He said police had spoken to a 54-year-old Winchelsea man in relation to the alleged discharge of a firearm in a public place.
Victoria Police, the state's food safety regulator PrimeSafe, and the Colac-Otway Shire are still investigating the incident.
'Inappropriate' use of a council facility
Men's Sheds are credited as positive male spaces that foster a sense of community and belonging.
Colac-Otway Shire acting chief executive officer Robert Dobrzynski said the council allowed the local group to use the shed for "carpentry and a bit of socialisation" under a licence.
"It's in the township and the Men's Shed is a fantastic facility for Forrest … [but] these allegations suggest there may have been inappropriate use of that facility," he said.
"If the allegations are proven to be correct it is entirely inappropriate, one, to be keeping livestock in a small residential block of that size and two, obviously slaughtering livestock and the allegations also lead to use of firearms."
Mr Dobrzynski said once the issue was resolved, the council would support the group's continued use of the shed.
Food safety regulator steps in
Regulator PrimeSafe confirmed its involvement in an investigation into "the illegal slaughter of pigs and sale of meat in the Colac area".
Under the state's Meat Industry Act 1993, the slaughter of livestock to produce meat for sale is banned outside an abattoir, but farmers may slaughter their own animals on their property for private consumption on their farm.
Under the strict laws, the meat cannot be sold or leave the farm.
The regulator said all meat produced for human consumption in Australia was required to come from livestock slaughtered at an abattoir so Australian standards for food safety and animal welfare were complied with.
The Australian Men's Shed Association has been contacted for comment.
