Animal activists: Time for some pest control

FARMERS could be forgiven for thinking the law is more of a nanny goat in Victoria, than an ass, its argued in this EDITORIAL.

FARMERS could be forgiven for thinking the law is more of a goat in Victoria, than an ass.

We have a judiciary that appears to regard animal activists as naughty, overexcited kids, who deserve no more than a paternalistic slap on the wrist or token fines.

We saw it again last Friday when three more animal activists escaped conviction, despite joining a group of 70 that stormed and stole livestock from the Gippy Goat Cafe and farm last December.

This trivialisation of crime breeds a culture of contempt for the law among activists, who invade more farms, blockade abattoirs and city streets or harass duck hunters.

Our judiciary needs to understand these activists are fast becoming serial pests, whose actions not only victimise vulnerable and isolated farming families, they put the biosecurity of Victoria’s rural economy at risk.

In NSW the Coalition Government introduced a new form of aggravated trespass, which prohibits a person from entering enclosed lands without consent.

NSW also cranked up its Biosecurity Act, with fines of up to $1.1 million and three years’ imprisonment.

Victoria laws allow the judiciary to impose penalties of up to $4029 for trespass and even six months’ imprisonment.

Agriculture Minister Jaclyn Symes says law reform is not a silver bullet that will solve the problem. And given courts’ treatment of activists she may well be right.

But at least the Coalition is giving the issue a go, calling for a Parliamentary inquiry into shoring up Victorian laws to “protect farmers’ privacy, businesses and the integrity of Victoria’s biosecurity regime”.

Will Ms Symes support an inquiry? She must.