Delivering protection for farmers

“It’s not in our interest to mistreat our animals, we make sure we look after them so they can look after us” – Graeme Maher, left

State leaders have passed legislation to increase on-thespot fines for animal activists and groups who trespass onto farm properties.

Victorian Police will issue $1272 onthe-spot fines and individual activists who commit serious trespass offences will receive fines from a court of up to $10,000 and groups more than $50,000.

Victorian Farmers Federation Wimmera branch president Graeme Maher praised state leaders for passing the legislation.

He said the legislation would especially protect duck farmers from biosecurity threats and emotional distress from false accusations.

“It’s time they understood how they make us feel,” he said.

“You can’t falsely accuse a person and just walk onto their property.”

Mr Maher said livestock farmers in the Wimmera had a strong connection with their animals.

“It’s not in our interest to mistreat our animals, we make sure we look after them so they can look after us,” he said.

Mr Maher claimed livestock farmers who had issues with animal-activist groups were often portrayed in a bad light.

“Mediation isn’t part of an animalactivist group’s agenda. PETA will accuse you of mistreatment because they have a set position,” he said.

VFF president Emma Germano also welcomed legislation to increase penalties for animal rights activists and groups that trespassed on farmers’ properties.

Ms Germano said the legislation had been introduced after a three-year inquiry into the impact of Animal Rights Activism on Victorian Agriculture.

“We were faced with an unacceptable situation where animal activists were getting off virtually scot-free,” she said.

“This is a big step in providing better protection for farmers from law-breaking animal activists.”

VFF leaders will work with Agriculture Victoria to assist farmers with biosecurity threats.

Ms Germano said farmers in the state were dealing with significant human and animal biosecurity outbreaks.

“The biosecurity-management plans will not only protect farmers from unacceptable harassment by animal activists, but also from potential biosecurity breaches,” she said.

State Minister for Agriculture Maryanne Thomas said it was ‘terrific’ to be able to deliver more protections to farmers in the state.

She said the State Government had introduced the toughest on-the-spot fines in the country. “This has been a great and significant accomplishment and something that I am very proud of,” she said.

State National and Liberal parties had attacked the State Government for being too lenient on animal rights activists.

LNP leaders had pushed for amendments to the legislation to increase fines from $10,904 to $21,809 for individuals who trespassed onto properties.

Ms Thomas dismissed the proposals, adding the fines were large enough to act as a deterrent for animal-rights activists and groups who had intentions of trespassing.

“For the first time we have implemented fines for organisations that are involved with animal activist trespass,” she said.

Nationals leader and Shadow Agriculture Minister Peter Walsh slammed the Labor government for ‘abandoning’ farmers, adding the State Government had kowtowed to Greens parliamentarians in the hopes to get re-elected.

Mr Walsh said he was disappointed about how the legislation had passed.

He said the Liberals and Nationals had proposed two amendments to the proposed Bill that would create fines that would be in line with similar legislation in New South Wales.

He said Labor leaders had teamed up with the Greens and Independent members of parliament in the upper house to introduce some of the lowest fines in the nation.

Mr Walsh said the State Government had revealed where its sympathies lied and had turned its back on ‘hard-working’ women and men who produced the food and fibre that fed the nation.

“Doubling the maximum fine would have sent a strong message to anyone considering trespassing onto a farmer’s property and that Victorians don’t tolerate illegal farm invasions,” he said.