Sarah Oliver
The state government introduced new legislation today in an effort to deter animal activists trespassing on farms, including in Melton and Moorabool.
The Livestock Management Amendment (Animal Activism) Bill 2021 will address the impacts of trespass on Victorian farms and the biosecurity risks that breaches from animal activists can pose.
Penalties will be among the heaviest in Australia, with on-the-spot fines of $1272 for an individual or $8178 for an organisation.
Further penalties of up to $10,904 for an individual and up to $54,522 for an organisation could apply for more serious offending.
Minister for Agriculture Mary-Anne Thomas said the new legislation will deter behaviour that puts farms at risk.
“Farmers and the agricultural industry should be able to do their work without fear of being targeted by animal activists,” she said.
“This sort of activity is highly distressing for farming families and puts the biosecurity and safety of the animals that activists purport to protect at risk.”
Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) president Emma Germano said the on the spot fines are “overdue but will be very welcome”.
“It’s time animal activists faced proper penalties for trespassing on people’s farms and homes,” she said.
“We hope this will see the end of token $1 fines for farm invasions that we have seen in the past.
“We believe that this is in line with community expectations, trespass is not an appropriate form of protest.”
Executive Director for Farm Transparency Project Chris Delforce said, in a statement, that the issue of biosecurity is “being used as an excuse to attempt to limit consumer awareness of the systemic cruelty occurring in farms and slaughterhouses across the country”.
“The Andrews government is trying to have it both ways. On the one hand, they’re working on a new Animal Welfare Act to replace the outdated Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (POCTA), and claiming that it will recognise the sentience of farm animals,” Mr Delforce said.
“On the other hand, they’re bowing to industry pressure to prevent consumers from seeing the reality of modern animal agriculture for themselves, and have stated they intend to carry over exemptions into the new Act that explicitly permit cruelty towards farm and lab animals.”
The state government said in a statement that peak industry bodies which represent farmers and agribusinesses, as well as animal welfare organisations, were consulted during the development of the legislation and will be further engaged as the regulations are finalised.
The new arrangements will come into effect in 2022.
