Animal activists remove illegal activity questions from volunteer form

ANIMAL activist group Aussie Farms has removed questions from its website that could imply it supported its members breaking the law.

Aussie Farms: The map was released last week “to force transparency on an industry dependent on secrecy”, encouraging the public to upload photos and videos of the farms.

ANIMAL activist group Aussie Farms, which last week released a controversial map tracking farms and businesses across the country, has removed questions that could imply it supported its members breaking the law.

Its volunteer registration form was altered late last week after politicians and peak farming bodies called for the charity to be investigated and its status revoked.

Specifically, Aussie Farms removed questions that asked prospective members if they were “willing to be fined or arrested” and outlined scenarios they would be comfortable performing, such as entering private properties or “locking/chaining on inside slaughterhouses”. The Aussie Farms’ interactive map was released last week “to force transparency on an industry dependent on secrecy”, encouraging the public to upload photos and videos of the farms. Almost 6000 farms and businesses are on the map.

Federal Agricultural Minister David Littleproud has called for Aussie Farms’ charity status to be revoked. “The publication of home addresses of our farming families is despicable and I won’t stand for it,” he said. “These people don’t deserve charity status.”

Mr Littleproud said he would also ask the Attorney-General to consider whether the Office of the Information Commissioner can investigate if publication of the addresses breaches privacy rights and whether the intent of the map was to encourage breaking the law. The National Farmers’ Federation also urged farmers to file a complaint with the Information Commissioner.

But an OAIC spokeswoman told The Weekly Times that under the Privacy Actit could only investigate complaints against government agencies or organisations that had an annual turnover of more than $3 million.

“The OAIC has made inquiries of the operators of the Aussie Farms website and understands it does not meet this financial threshold, and is unable to investigate this matter,” the spokeswoman said.

The National Farmers’ Federation recommended farmers contact Aussie Farms to remove their details. Aussie Farms’ executive director Chris Delforce told The Weekly Times while he’ll “happily update” businesses that have closed, he would not remove farms and businesses that were still operating. “This is not opt-in transparency,” he said.

The Australian Charity and Not-for-profit Commission, while unable to confirm if it was investigating, told The Weekly Times it “takes all concerns seriously” and revocation of charity registration is determined case-by-case.

Yesterday, Victoria Police told The Weekly Times they were not investigating Aussie Farms because they had not received a complaint.

Mr Littleproud also called on the states to “beef-up” trespass laws as a “big deterrent” to potential criminal activity.

READ MORE

NFF CONSIDERS FIGHTING FUND TO COUNTER ACTIVIST THREAT

FARMERS FURIOUS OVER ACTIVISTS NEW TRACKING MAP

FARMER GOES UNDERCOVER AS ANIMAL ACTIVIST

EXCLUSIVE: ACTIVISTS SEEK PUBLIC DONATIONS TO STEAL LIVESTOCK