In June 2022, ‘Imogen’, a pig transported to the Swickers Bacon Factory in Kingaroy, Queensland, was unable to walk off the truck or move along the ramp and was subjected to prolonged abuse and cruelty before being killed. Footage captured by AnimalKIND led to an official investigation and continues to shock the public.
Two former employees were charged in 2023, with AnimalKIND providing evidence, including attending court for half a day in the first day of the trial. However, on 1 November 2024, after two days of the trial, the charges were withdrawn without explanation, leaving critical questions about oversight and accountability unanswered.
Swickers Bacon Factory lies within the electorate of Nanango, whose elected representative is Deb Frecklington MP. Minister Frecklington also happens to be the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for Integrity and was elected to that position on 26 October 2024, a week before the charges were dropped.
Our Right To Information (RTI) requests intended to clarify the case but were faced with repeated delays, with the Department of Primary Industries requesting six extensions to the deadline. On January 14, we finally received a heavily redacted response to our RTI, (which you can read in full below), revealing no information about why the charges were dropped or how such cruelty went unpunished.
Queensland’s RTI system is meant to promote transparency. Instead, it often operates as a barrier. Government agencies can request extension after extension, stretching application timelines out for months or even years. When documents are finally released, they are so heavily redacted that the public learns nothing of substance. This process often feels less like a pathway to truth and transparency and more like a test of endurance — one that powerful institutions are far better resourced to withstand.
AnimalKIND remains determined to uncover the full facts and ensure that Imogen’s suffering is not forgotten. In her memory, we continue to push for transparency and accountability from the Queensland Government — because every animal’s life deserves recognition, protection, and justice.