Australian Farmers’ Fighting Fund want end to “uncertainty and ambiguity” for Monaro farmers

A company partly owned by Energy Minister Angus Taylor is headed back to court - this time with financial support from the Australian Farmers’ Fighting Fund.

The Australian Farmers’ Fighting Fund will back a company in southern NSW to help it fight a Commonwealth ruling that found it destroyed endangered grasslands by spraying herbicide.

The AFFF will financially support a Federal Court challenge being launched by Jam Land Pty Ltd, whose directors include farmer Richard Taylor and his brother and federal MP, Angus Taylor.

The Monaro landowners decided to fight the initial land clearing ruling that a breach of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act had taken place by seeking a ministerial review.

But the review carried out on behalf of Environment Minister Sussan Ley reaffirmed the original decision and ordered the landowners “mitigate the damage by managing and enhancing the natural ecological values of 103 hectares of native grasslands on the property”.

It was initially determined a 28.5ha paddock was sprayed with herbicide at Corrowong, west of Bombala, in 2016 and had made a “significant impact” on the threatened ecological community.

Environment Minister Sussan Ley.

But Richard Taylor maintained the farmland that was sprayed with herbicide was not an endangered grassland and called on AFFF for help.

He said it was a matter of principle with wider implications for other Monaro farmers, who manage between 30 to 40 per cent of their properties as native pastures.

“It’s a very expensive undertaking going to the Federal Court,” he said.

“But it’s also a reflection of the fact that it is a major issue for the wider industry.

“The cost is 100 per cent borne by the farmers to manage this country for biodiversity outcomes.

“But that is not enough for the department.

‘The costs of taking it to court is a great deal more than the value of the land in question.”

AFFF chairman Hugh Nivison said: “In approving the application, the trustees determined the matter was a clear demonstration of the ambiguity and uncertainty in the Act and how the government’s approach to its implementation could have massive ramifications for farmers.

“In supporting this case, the AFFF seeks to resolve that ambiguity and uncertainty so Australian farmers can manage their land for balanced production and environmental outcomes, knowing with certainty what rules they have to follow.”