Sheryl Lowe, Naracoorte Community News

A recent official statement announcing a covid-19 outbreak at a meatworks in Naracoorte began the blame game against Teys Abattoirs by some media. Important facts were lost in the messaging and instead of being recognised for identifying the outbreak in the community, they  (Teys) were blamed for it.

The “canary in the coal mine,” is how Member for MacKillop Nick McBride MP described Teys Meatworks involvement in this outbreak.

“Due to the rigorous testing of their staff, they (Teys) picked-up the recent outbreak of covid in the Naracoorte community.”

“Important facts were lost in the messaging at that first press conference in Adelaide and the ensuing media reports.”

“Members of the community brought the virus back to Naracoorte from a New Year Eve event in Robe.”

“Young people who were positive (with covid) came back to Naracoorte from Robe. They may have been a-symptomatic, not very un-well and perhaps didn’t even know they had covid. They perhaps didn’t arrange to be tested because of that, but they had it and that’s how it started in Naracoorte, but the messaging in the media continued to blame the meatworks.”

Over 100 of Teys employees tested positive, putting a strain on the organisation and the industry in general. Teys Meatworks supplies many large retailers and they’ve been filling orders the Murray Bridge Meatworks would normally fill too since their devastating fire and subsequent re-build.

“Teys reached out to SA Health and myself, Mr McBride said, and we worked through this difficult time with them.”

What followed ‘saddened” me, Mr McBride said on 5THE FM radio. “I realise there is a lot of fear around covid but Teys employees were refused service at businesses in Naracoorte and there was even a threat of the Woolworths Fuel outlet closing so staff wouldn’t have to serve them.”

“The media continued to connect the outbreak to Teys but, Teys was the ‘canary in the coal mine,’ if you like. They detected covid in Naracoorte but were not responsible for bringing it to Naracoorte. It was already there.”

“In addition to all of this, they (Teys) were vilified for bringing back to work some of their staff who  were a-symptomatic and were not un-well. Some returned after 3 or 4 days instead of 14 days. Teys worked with SA Health to manage this.”

Lost again in the messaging, Mr McBride said, was the fact that Teys was bringing back ‘fit-for-work’ staff. The mining industry had been doing it for some time. Teys may not have used the same wording, but they were doing exactly what the mining industry had been doing.

Mr McBride said this situation had highlighted the impact outbreaks can have on this industry, citing the shortage of meat and poultry products around the country and, he said, ”we can’t shut down every business for 14 days every time there is a case of covid. We have to continue to be open and move forward safely.”

“It was very sad for Teys but we worked through it, they are back up and running again and Woolworths are now taking the products again.”

“Perhaps lost in the dialogue too, was the importance of the vaccination program in managing our way forward with this virus.”

Just days after being back in full production, Teys issued a statement to say China had added their company to the list of Australian beef exporters, already banned.  

This article appeared in Naracoorte Community News.

Related story: China bans TEYS