Australian Abattoirs

A goat processing facility that is currently operating located in central QLD. This facility exports all its production. Charleville had past problems of securing visa workers to ensure ability to continue production. Floods have affected operations and government costs. Currently goat values are very good with a significant increase in various export markets

Other Names

• Western export abattoirs
• Western Meat Exporters

Current Operation

• Currently operating.
• Aus-Meat accreditation #0101⁴
• 100% export³
• Processing capacity of up to 15,000 animals per week.²⁶
  • 3,000 head a day²⁶

Location   

• Charleville
  

Hema Maps – Australia Truckies atlas.

Owner

• Western Exporters²
  • totally Australian owned³
  • Managing Director – Neil Duncan⁶

Operation   

• Processes mainly Goats,¹
  • is licencsed to process sheep but not currently doing so³
• Minimum dressed weight 10kg, ferals dress out about 42% with skin off.¹

• Producers use goats to supplement income with beef and sheep¹
• The largest goat processor in Australia³
• Established with the main purpose to produce Halal goat and sheep meat products for all export markets³
  • United states³
  • European union³
  • Asia³
  • Middle east³

History

1997

• Before the Charleville abattoir was built the government were spending $16M a year to control goats²⁷.
  • Goats were regarded as feral²⁷
• August. Facility rebuilt after devastating fire³
  • Facility had only been  six months old²⁷
• Major flooding occurs in the Charleville area²⁰

1999

• October. Charleville abattoir refuse to pay $12,929 accreditation fee for 1999/2000 to QLD Livestock and Meat Authority (QLDMLA)²
  • QLDMLA served notice it would suspend licence if not paid²
  • Cause closure of abattoir currently employing 94 people²
  • Fee is due for any abattoir operating in the state of QLD²
  • Fee structure had been lowered from $15,000 to $12,929²
• Abattoir and QLDMLA long running dispute concerning payment of fees².
  • Had paid QLDMLA last 3 years yet a representative had never been on premises or conducted an audit²
  • QLDMLA is not the regulating body for export²
  • Abattoir do not sell meat domestically²
  • QLDMLA say fee is to maintain integrity of States meat processing system²
    • set by legislation and payable by all red meat processors²
    • Equivalent entry level fees NSW $2,000, Victoria $1,600²
• Abattoir already paid fees for AQIS Export accreditation $30,000 pa²
  • Also paid $1,200 per month Ausmeat inspection fees²
  • Further $1,200 per month for AQIS audits²

2004

• Major flooding occurs in the Charleville area²⁰

2005

• Western Exports win by bidding tender for Broken Hill Exports company⁵
  • Broken Hill abattoir at Broken hill shut down by  AQIS in November 2005, failed to meet guidelines⁵
• May. 22 employees at the Charleville abattoir are on 457 temporary visa program³⁸

2006

• April. AQIS close facility as notice issued in November 2005 wasn’t complied with to improve yards to meet animal welfare standards of export abattoirs⁶.
  • 140 laid off for 2 weeks while improvments are made⁶
  • Director, Neil Duncan claimed could have been negotiated and stoppage not occur⁶
• May. Abattoir employs 15 Vietnamese skilled workers and wants to employ another 50 immediately⁷
  • Visa applications are not being processed and is a problem being faced by meat abattoirs around the nation⁷

“This is Australia-wide…the Government has put a hold on all applications for the meat industry and, you know, I see on TV the unions up and down saying they’re going to lose Australian jobs…. well where are they?” Neil Duncan, managing director⁷

“Send them out to Charleville….there’s work here for them straight away” Neil Duncan. Managing Director⁷

• Immigration department say there is no hold on visa applications⁷
  • allegations some employers are abusing the program and the department is in discussion with the industry over the concerns⁷
  • department understands Australia is experiencing a significant skill shortage⁷
• July. Charleville abattoir begins a $2M expansion⁸
  • Enable production up to 3,000 head in an 8 hour shift of skin-on goats⁸
  • create another 50 jobs and boost export income by $15M⁸
  • US consumes 70-80% of the product produced⁸
  • Taiwan is big for 6 months for their winter season⁸
• August. Charleville abattoir wants to employ 20 employees from Vietnam with visas⁹.
  • Federal government blocks application as meatworkers do not qualify as skilled workers⁹
  • Charleville had struggled 15 years ago because of decline in wool, now the abattoir was an important employer⁹
  • Senator Ron Boswell says he will help the abattoir overcome the visa restrictions by meeting ministers of immigration and workplace relations to push to have visas approved.⁹

2007

Source RIRDC.New.Animal.Abattoirs.in.Australia.2007

• October. Australian dollar currently at 90 cents US, Is not good for exports¹⁰

“Overseas in the US they are actually paying the highest rate they have ever paid for a kilo of goat meat, but when you revert it back through our exchange rate we’re actually receiving the lowest we’ve received in 12 months” Neil Duncan. Managing director¹⁰

• November. Neil Duncan travelled to Vietnam on a recruitment drive for workers¹¹
  • Once worker shortage is filled in Charleville, work can resume at the Broken hill meatworks¹¹

2008

• Major flooding occurs in the Charleville area²⁰
• March. Charleville closes down temporarily due to critical staff shortages¹²
  • 100 workers laid off for an indefintie period with full entitlements¹²
    • Authors note. Another article cites. 90 workers laid off²⁵
    • Included 15 Vietnamese workers who entered Australia on 457 visas²⁵.
  • Need at least 50 more staff¹²
    • Need at least another 60 staff to remain viable²⁵
  • $2M worth of product is being thrown out a year that should be boxed and exported¹²
  • Applications for visa workers are being held up by Federal government¹²
    • Immigration department was rejected repeated applications for more meatworkers from Vietnam²⁵
      • Abattoir failed to meat 457 rules requiring Australians to be trained for jobs held by the foreign workers during the 4 year span of their visas¹⁵
    • Charleville facility has been trying to get immigrant workers for over 2 and a half years²⁵
  • People are going to the mines, city for better conditions, bigger money and better lifestyle¹³
  • There is a chronic shortage of both skilled and unskilled workers²⁵
• Current Proprietor of Western Exporters – Neil Duncan²⁵
• Minimum wage at the present time is $803.00 a week²⁵
  • AMIEU believe closure is a tactic by Charleville abattoir to pressure Canberra to allow the abattoir to employ migrants on lower than minimum wage awards²⁵
• April. Federal government will not allow employees from overseas unless the abattoir signs an agreement to employ the same number of local workers¹⁴
• Agforce  says will be a significant drop in income for goat producers if the abattoir remains closed¹⁵
• November. Overseas workers been allowed under the 457 visa program¹⁶
  • Employment from 90 to over 150 people now¹⁶
  • 24,000 goats processed in the last 2 weeks¹⁶
  • Setting new records for its production¹⁶
  • Should have been doing these sort of numbers years ago to keep up with the goat industry¹⁶

2009

• February. Abattoir faces charges under the Land Act and the Integrated Planning Act, Department of Natural resources alleged it was land clearing without a permit¹⁷
  • Issued compliance notice to restore 240 ha native vegetation¹⁷
  • Millions of goats had been held on the land while they awaited processing, Mulga trees had died due to grazing pressure and drought¹⁷
  • All the company did was remove dead timber¹⁷
  • Before the Charleville magistrates court¹⁷
  • If company has to revegetate will have to lay off 40 workers and cut production of number of goats being processed¹⁷
• December. New production record set¹⁸

“We hit our record of 2,780 skin-on goats for an eight hour period but we should have been at these levels probably five years ago but we’ve struggled with labour” Neil Duncan Managing director¹⁸

2010

• March. Major flooding occurs in Charleville area²⁰
• Abattoir closed due to flooding¹⁹
  • Roads leading in and out of Charleville all flooded²¹
    • Unable to export or import product²¹
  • 180 workers stood down²¹
  • no time frame in place for re-opening²¹
• Abattoir is too expensive to keep operating¹⁹
  • Needs government assistance to reopen¹⁹
  • Pay AQIS whether working or not $8,000 or $10,000 per week¹⁹
  • $60,000 in electricity a month¹⁹
  • Running costs are basically $400,000 a week¹⁹
• re-opening of abattoir crucial to regions economy²²
  • Government, Prime Minister assured abattoir nothing get in the way of reopening and workers on visa’s don’t leave region and stay for the plant to re-open²²
  • Regional economy is losing $1M a week while abattoir is closed²²
  • throughput in the community is in the order of $5M a month from abattoir operations²²
• April. Abattoir re-opens²³
  • Getting access to goats has been a problem but abattoir is in full operation²³

2013

• At this point in time Charleville abattoir is the largest goat meat processor in the world²⁶
• May. Charleville participates in a sponsored Meat and Livestock Australia food expo in Shanghai with 14 other mostly beef and lamb producers²⁶
• July. Since the Shanghai food expo Charleville have signed $3M worth of orders with more to come²⁶
• US and Taiwan were traditionally the biggest goat meat importers²⁶
  • Flat US economy and loosening of import regulations to China has made China more attractive export proposition²⁶
• Currently processing 15,000 animals per week²⁶
  • 3,000 head a day²⁶
• Largest line, skin on product, Europeans call ‘Smokie’²⁶
• Western Meat exporters is the only processor in Australia that doesn’t have a boning room²⁶
  • bone is left in with the meat frozen and cut into cubes²⁶.
    • Packed into 1kg bags²⁶
  • “Customers traditionally use their hands to eat – they want warm product and to hold the bone” Trade and Investment QLD spokesman Morgan Gronold²⁶
• Operational costs of Charleville abattoir are getting too expensive²⁶.
  • would be willing to move his operations offshore²⁶
  • “We just can’t compete, and electricity prices are making things pretty tough” Neil Duncan Western Meat Exports managing director²⁶.
• Charleville abattoir has operating capacity of 200 employees but at the moment only has 175²⁶.
  • employees are too difficult to source²⁶
• Western QLD suppliers are urged not to move to far to pure Boer goat genetics²⁶
  • Boer goats tend to put too much fat cover²⁶
    • Most goat is slow cooked where high fat content isn’t desired²⁶

2014

• Number of new chillers had been added to facility extension²⁷
• July. Currently operating at full capacity.²⁴
• 80% of the feral goat herd is coming from the Surat Basin area.²⁴
• Roma #2 – Proposed (QLD) not looking to compete against Charleville.²⁴

Source. Goatmeat-Fast-Facts-2014_EMAIL

Source Goatmeat-Fast-Facts-2014_EMAIL

• October. Two 40-foot containers back up to the 1300 carcase capacity fridges for a daily trip to Brisbane port²⁷
  • Output is set to grow²⁷
• Charleville abattoir has a 100% export focus²⁷
  • Current director at this time – Campbell McPhee²⁷.
  • Since free trade talks with Korea, exports to that country had increase 140-fold²⁷
• New techniques to reduce hair contamination and modern equipment keep pace with the stringent health requirements demanded by overseas markets²⁷
  • Sprays and vacuums are in use to achieve zero tolerance hair control²⁷
  • Workers have colour coded hair nets to show what jobs and areas of the abattoir they are allowed²⁷
    • separate eating rooms to prevent possible contamination between different parts of the plant²⁷
• Current livestock purchases of 16,000 goats per week²⁷
  • 75% of supply comes from NSW²⁷
  • Processing 3,000 head per day²⁷
    • the kill line moving 6.5 goats every minute²⁷
• Currently employing 185 people and another 15 in the trucking company²⁷
  • Western meat exporters use their own trucks to collect goats from properties and depots²⁶

2015

• January. Goat is worth $3.70 (12.1 to 16kg carcass weight)^39.
• There are approximately 6 million wild goats in Australia^29.
  • Generally regarded as a pest, increasingly becoming regarded as a good alternative income²⁹.
• Australian exports of goat meat have doubled to 35,800t in 2014 since 2004^29.
  • Most is sold to the USA for Hispanic population^29.
• Live exports of goat have jumped from 50,500 head to 88,500 from 2004 to 2014^29.
• Wild goats are purchased for $1.70/kg live weight^29.
• Live export goat price is $4.20/kg live weight^29.
  • Average goat sells for $55 per head^29.
• August. Charleville (Game meat) abattoir that had closed in 2009 due to the collapse of the Russian kangaroo market proposes an upgrade to the facility to process 350 head a day of cattle³⁵.
  • Employ 140 people³⁵
  • Chinese investor $45M, who has become a partner in the business³⁵
  • Expected to be in operation within a year³⁵
• October. Bourke Shire backs a proposal to build the abattoir^29.
  • Expected to cost $61M. Bourke. Currently under construction. NSW
    • Aims to process 6,000 goats a day⁴⁰
    • Employ 200 people ⁴⁰
    • Abattoir should be up and running by mid 2017^40.
    • Developer Capra Pty Ltd^40.
      • Capra is made up of partners with experience in both export and market processing operations and supply³⁷
• Another proposal to build a facility at Blayney NSW
  • Developer – Metziya^40.
  • Would process 4,500 animals per day⁴⁰
    • but it had received public opposition.
• Bourke goat abattoir is expected to cost $60M to build³⁰
  • Create 200 jobs³⁰
  • World’s largest goat processing abattoir³⁰
• Currently 90% of the states (NSW) goats are transported interstate to be sold³⁰
  • 95% of those transported are killed and processed in QLD, Victoria and South Australia³⁰

Source. mla_goat-fast-facts-2015

Source. mla_goat-fast-facts-2015

• Rangelands goats are currently the star performers of Australian red meat sector in 2015^31.
  • Farm-gate prices for goats have almost doubled in past 12 months to over $5 per kg^31.
  • There has been a fundamental increase in demand relative to supply^31.
    • In the past Australia has largely relied on one market the USA to take its product^31.
    • Had been no other high volume markets to force price upwards pressures^31.
  • Now there are new and emerging markets^61.
    • Competing against the USA for goat meat product^31.
    • Increasing markets to Taiwan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Korea, and China^31.
  • Demand is likely to grow as trade tariff barriers are reduced with recently secured Free Trade Agreements^31.
• A number of southern Sheep processing plants are now processing goats in response to positive demand outlook^31.
• Supply pressure of goats has not been as constant this year due to increased demand^31.
• Goat populations  in the past have mostly been sourced by opportunistic harvesting of wild herds^31.
  • MLA estimates there are around 4M head of goats in Australia at present^31.
    • Only 500,000 are in managed herds^31.
  • Challenge for industry is whether it can build a supply base to fulfil and sustain new levels of demand^31.
• Prices for goats have traditionally fluctuated³¹
  • To encourage sustainable development of the industry a five year strategy has been released³¹.
  • Goatmeat and Livestock Industry Strategic Plan 2020
• Goats have a low cost of production that has some advantages over raising other stock^31.
• December. Bourke abattoir gets Federal government funding $10M^32.
  • Grant will assist the facility to overcome challenges of isolation and lack of infrastructure at the remote site³².

2016.

• January. Goat meat is worth $5 /kg (12.1 to 16kg carcass weight)^39.
• Charleville #101. QLD. Says its future will be jeopardised if the Bourke plant goes ahead^33.
  • Goat supply in QLD, NSW and Victoria is too low to accommodate a new abattoir^33.
  • Charleville #101 QLD processed 70% of the goats sourced from producers across the border in 2015^33.
    • Charleville processed 620,000 animals last year for export^33.
  • If the Bourke plant is successful in being built it would threaten processing jobs at Charleville facility^33.
  • Charleville never received a similar grant from the government and feel it is an unfair advantage to the Bourke site^33.
• Currently in NSW there are seven different abattoir processing goats^33.
• Authors note. The above reference was by the speaker of the article, it may include domestic facilities that are not on this blog.(03/12/2017)
  • In NSW – Export Abattoirs slaughtering goats.
    • Cootamundra. #87 NSW
    • Deniliquin. 2123. NSW
    • Gundagai-South. #106 NSW
    • Young. #128. NSW
    • Bourke. Currently under construction NSW
  • In Qld, Export abattoirs processing goats
    • Charleville #101 QLD
  • In QLD Domestic abattoirs processing goats
    • Biggenden #3072Q. QLD
    • Yangan #101007Q. QLD
    • Gleneagle #60Q. QLD
  • Currently needing more stock to process^33.
  • To consider another plant will be in operation the stock numbers don’t support the processing capacity^33.

Source Australian Abattoirs Locations – Australian goat processing abattoirs as per Aus-meat as at 02/10/2017

Above diagram. Bourke is indicated by the green pointer slightly above centre of picture. Charleville is located directly above Bourke to the far north. Abattoirs are marked as red for Export or blue for Domestic accreditations. No abattoirs specialise only in goat processing. Most are combinations of beef, sheep and goat. There are facilities in WA and one in Tasmania not shown on this diagram

• Murweh Shire council Mayor, Dennis Cook speaks and writes to Federal government explaining his shire don’t want to see ‘a big lot of government money coming in and propping them up, because our business here is a wonderfully run business…”, Charleville #101 QLD Shire council explains is a privately run business^34.
  • Charleville shire don’t want to interfere in what happens in NSW but they are concerned the Bourke facility will negatively impact on the employees at Charleville³⁴.
• February. Bourke Site Plans are developed and submitted for approval³⁶

• March. NSW Planning and Environment release a media statement for community views on the Bourke abattoir^36.
  • Bourke abattoir will have capacity to process 6,000 goats, sheep or lambs per day for export^36.
  • Submissions close 26/04/2016³⁶
• Stock Supply. Bourke abattoir make an agreement with a goat depot located in Bourke to supply the facility (Pg 2)⁴³.
  • Depot currently sends 200,000 outside of Bourke for sale or process(Pg 2)⁴³
• August. Proposal to revamp existing closed Kangaroo abattoir at Charleville Game meat. QLD ³⁵
  • Facility will be refurbished to suit killing cattle³⁵
  • Chinese Investor $45M³⁵

• December. Development consent for the Bourke abattoir has been approved^37.
  • • Now in the construction certificate phase^37.
      • Project spokesperson JPA Business Managing Director – James Price^37.
      • Slaughter level of 6,000 head per day will take some time to reach at an operational level³⁷
        • When fully operational the facility will have the potential to almost double the value of goat exports from Australia^37.

• Bourke abattoir will be a useful outlet for producers who rely on meat exporters slaughtering in other states^37.
  • Major priority  is to capture the goat meat demand in the international market^37.

2017

• January. Goat meat is worth $6/kg (12.1 to 16kg Carcass weight)^39.
• May. Currently employ 165 staff²⁸
  • 52 of the 165 are undertaking the 457 temporary visa program³⁸
  • Federal government had announced they would abolish the 457 program but have rectified the decision to not impact the meat industry³⁸

Source ‘Vietnamese farmer moved to Charleville to  give his children a better education’ QLD Country Life 12/05/2017

• June. Construction of the cement foundations begins^39.
  • Plant is expected to be operational early 2018³⁹.
• When in operation it is expected to boost Bourke regional economy by 30%^39.
  • approximately $50M is expected to be injected into the Bourke local economy per year^39.
• Estimates of 5.8M goats in Western NSW^39.
  • 50-60% of all of Australia’s feral goats located in NSW^44.
  • Others dispute these figures^39.
    • Bourke. Local producers ‘economics’ would play a major role to determine if they sent their stock to the facility^39.
• DPI is about to start a new goat count across NSW³⁹
• This week goat carcasses hit $7.50/kg, averaging $6.50/kg^14.
  • January 2015, the monthly average was $3.70 (12.1 to 16kg carcass weight)^14.
  • January 2016 $5/kg^14.
  • January 2017 $6/kg^14.
• Australian Goat industry is currently in a rebuilding phase^39.
  • Market potential in Europe^39.
  • Goat meat was being included in new Brexit trade talks^39..
• it was a big challenge to get more western graziers to produce goats³⁹
• August. A new goat abattoir is proposed for the Goulburn Valley, Gillieston (Proposed) Vic.^41.
  • Capacity of 3,000 head per day^41.
  • Plant could be operational in about 18 months if approvals go through^41.
• November. 2,197 solar panels are installed on the roofs of the facility⁴²
  • rising energy costs are a major threat to the profitability of the meat processing sector
  • Cost $1.4M^42.
    • 756KW system, equivalent to power requirements of 252 homes^42.
    • Panels are designed to operate independently in case one is covered by shadow or dust^42.
    • Initiative was wholly privately funded^42.
      • Australian Renewable Energy agency didn’t provide assistance as they were more interested in new and emerging technology^42.
    • Costs of the installation expected to be re-couped within 5 years^42..
    • cost of panels was actually less than the plants annual electricity bill⁴²

Source ‘Charleville’s solar innovator’ QLD Country Life 23.11.2017

• December. NSW Department of primary Industries conduct a rangeland population survey of goats^46.
  • Show goat herd has declined from 5.7M in 2016 to 3.4M in 2017⁴⁶
  • Aerial survey was conducted of central and western NSW⁴⁶
  • Lower numbers could be due to ⁴⁶
    • Dry seasonal conditions⁴⁶
      • Poor reproductive rates of livestock and goats⁴⁶
    • Efficient goat harvesting operations in the area⁴⁶

Sources

1. ‘Goats prove Winton winners’ QLD Country life 13.06.2013
2. ‘Closure looms for Charleville abattoir’ QLD Country life 13.10.1999
3. http://www.westernexporters.com.au – Accessed 07.03.2014
4. aus meat accreditation as at 01.01.2014
5. ‘QLD company set to become leading goat exporter’ ABC News 16.12.2005
6. ‘Goat abattoir lays of 140 in quarantine dispute’ ABC news. 04.04.2006
7. ‘Immigration delay hampers goat meat abattoir expansion’ ABC news. 29.05.2006
8. ‘Expansion of Aust largest goat abattoir gets under way’ ABC News. 31.07.2006
9. ‘Boswell vows to help meatworks secure visas’ ABC news 14.08.2006
10. ‘Strong dollar hurting goat meat exports’ ABC News 16.10.2007
11. ‘Meatworks owner hopes new government frees up foreign worker recruitment’ ABC news 27.11.2007
12. ‘Goat meat exporter to shut Charleville abattoir’ ABC News 20.03.2008
13. ‘Goat abattoir closes outback QLD plant’ ABC News 26.03.2008
14. ‘Govet unmoved on abattoir worker conditions’ ABC News 03.04.2008
15. ‘Abattoir closure ‘will hurt goat producers’ ABC News 03.04.2008
16. ‘Goat abattoir breaks production records’ ABC News 04.11.2008
17. ‘Goat abattoir owners face land clearing charges’ ABC News 10.02.2009
18. ‘Goat production hits high’ ABC News 10.12.2009
19. ‘Goat abattoir too expensive to run’ ABC News 09.03.2010
20. ‘Flood-drunk Charleville’ http://www.ben-global.com
21. ‘Floods close abattoir’ The Chronicle 10.03.2010
22. ‘Meatworks re-opening crucial’ ABC News 17.03.2010
23. ‘Goat abattoir re-opens after flood woes’ ABC News 09.04.2010
24. ‘Roma ramps up abattoir study’ QLD Country Life 31.07.2014
25. ‘Lack of migrant staff forces Charleville abattoir to shut’ The Australian 22/03/2008
26. ‘Charleville’s China forey’ QLD Country Life 01/07/2013
27. ‘Charleville goats full bore’ QLD Country Life 21/10/2014
28. ‘Developers say $38M Blayney goat abattoir will provide …..’ Central Western Daily 07/05/2015
29. ‘Growth in goat farming in Bourke for halal butchers and restaurants’ www.smh.com.au 08/06/2015
30. ‘Bourke goat abattoir could be a “game-changer”, says MP’ ABC News 22/10/2015
31. ‘What is behind the rise and rise of goat prices? Beef Central 29/10/2015
32. ‘Bourke goat abattoir gets Federal government funding’ ABC rural 08/12/2015
33. ‘QLD goat processor says jobs will go if government-backed Bourke abattoir is built’ ABC news 05/01/2016
34. ‘Cross border goat abattoir competition’ Charleville Plus More. 14/01/2016
35. ‘Charleville set to get abattoir in 2017’ Sunshine daily 02/08/2016
36. Proposed Small Stock Abattoir. Capra Developments Feb 2016
37. ‘Bourke abattoir gets OK’ The Land 07/12/2016
38. ‘Vietnamese farmer moved to Charleville to  give his children a better education’ QLD Country Life 12/05/2017
39. ‘Bourke abattoir on way’ The Land 08/06/2017
40. ‘Two new goat abattoirs planned in Bourke and Blayney’ The Land 09/07/2016
41. ‘Abattoir in the works’ Country News 09/08/2017
42. ‘Charleville’s solar Innovator’ QLD Country Life 23/11/2017
43. Bourke. Small stock abattoir. Environmental Impact Statement March 2016
44. http://www.markcoulton.com.au. media release 27/07/2017
45. RIRDC.New.Animal.Abattoirs.in.Australia.2007
46. ‘Latest goat industry data’ NSW DPI 13/12/2017