High Court to hear case on publication of undercover slaughterhouse footage
This case concerns whether undercover footage documenting animal slaughter practices can be published when it was obtained through trespass.
The High Court of Australia has granted special leave to hear an appeal concerning the publication of undercover footage recorded at the Game Meats Company slaughterhouse in Eurobin, Victoria.
The footage was captured in early 2024 during an investigation by Farm Transparency Project using hidden cameras installed inside the facility. The recordings documented goats showing signs of consciousness during slaughter, including failed stunning attempts and animals having their throats cut while conscious.
After the footage was shared with the Department of Agriculture and later published online and in a regional news broadcast, the slaughterhouse obtained a Federal Court injunction requiring the footage to be removed.
In December 2024, the Federal Court declined to grant a permanent injunction preventing publication but ordered Farm Transparency Project to pay damages. The slaughterhouse later appealed the decision, and in August 2025, the Full Federal Court granted a permanent injunction, ruling that the slaughterhouse held copyright over the footage and ordering it destroyed.
Farm Transparency Project subsequently sought special leave to appeal to the High Court. In December 2025, the High Court granted leave to hear the case, a step granted in roughly one in twenty applications.
The High Court’s decision will determine whether investigators who obtain footage while trespassing can publish it or whether facilities can prevent publication through copyright claims. The ruling may establish a new legal precedent affecting future undercover investigations at farms and slaughterhouses across Australia.
Andy, Chris, Harley and Cat from Farm Transparency Project, on day one of the trial
Systemic relevance
This case may establish a legal precedent determining whether undercover investigations at farms and slaughterhouses can be publicly published in Australia. The ruling could influence future investigations and whistleblowing related to animal agriculture.