Australian government challenges Pink

The Australian government has challenged pop star Pink over a campaign to boycott the country's wool.

In a video she made for pressure group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Pink refers to the practice of mulesing - cutting flesh from lambs rear ends without anaesthetic as "sadistic".

But the Australian treasurer Peter Costello defended the practice, saying it stopped sheep dying of maggot infestation and was humane.

He told the BBC, "Sheep are at risk of being fly-blown and dying...it's not a pretty sight. Mulesing is not a pretty sight either but it's a damn sight more humane than letting a sheep die fly-blown in a paddock."

PETA has argued that there are more humane alternatives but Australian farmers have said that it is necessary to prevent slow and painful deaths.