Activists are ‘un-Australian’
Farming leaders and politicians come out swinging
‘UN-AUSTRALIAN’ is the label Member for Southern Downs James Lister has slapped on activists who stormed a Darling Downs feedlot at the weekend.
He was among the farming leaders and politicians who came out swinging after 70 protesters swarmed the cattle feedlot on Saturday, sparking a biosecurity scare.
Animal Liberationists trespassed at Lemontree feedlot 8km west of Millmerran on Saturday.
Mr Lister voiced his condemnation.
“I’m calling on the State Government and the Minister for Agriculture Mr Furner to toughen up the penalties for people who invade hard-working farmers’ properties,” he said.
“These selfish extremists need to have the book thrown at them.
“It angers me that the McNamee family and their staff have had to put up with this.”
Barnaby Joyce also warned of “ugly consequences” following the rising militancy against Australian farmers.
He said farmers wouldn’t cop it.
“It was the timber industry, then fishing, live cattle and sheep, now it’s the feedlot industry, pigs and poultry. We are supposed to be reasonable with these totally unreasonable people,” he said.
“The Greens and the Left would lose their bundle if we went into their houses, their businesses, their lives in the same way they go into ours.
“If this issue comes to a head, it will have ugly consequences as those protecting their rights become as virulent as those breaking into their property.”
The property - owned and operated by the McNamee family - held about 30,000 head of cattle worth about $50 million.
A police spokeswoman said members of the group livestreamed the protest on Saturday afternoon.
“It was reported that there were a lot of people in cars, which was quite intimidating,” she said.
No one was arrested in the incident, with the protest moving to a different location at 1.30pm.
Police patrolled other animal facilities in the Millmerran area after the activists dispersed.