Andrews dumps election losing policies ahead of November

The Victorian Government is postponing or dumping decisions that could lose it votes – including ending landholder rights to build a house on 40ha.

The Victorian Government is postponing or dumping decisions that could lose it votes ahead of the November state election – from extinguishing landholder rights to build a house on 40ha or more within 100km of Melbourne to demanding farmers gain permits to build a fence.

Even the push by the Game Management Authority to introduce mandatory testing of hunters’ shooting proficiency has been deferred by Labor until after the election, as has the 2018 election promise to introduce a new animal welfare act.

Farmers, fishers and hunters have been left in limbo, not knowing what they are voting for, given the Government has only vaguely outlined the new welfare act, which would recognise animal are capable of sentience – feeling fear and other emotions – as part of new mandatory standards of care.

These standards are likely to extend well beyond the farm gate and backyard pets to hunting and fishing, with the RSPCA lobbying the Government to end game fishing’s exemption from animal cruelty laws.

Game on: Animal welfare groups want legislation that has been deferred until after the state election to recognise animals, including game fish, feel fear and emotions. Photo: DANNIKA BONSER

Agriculture Minister Mary-Anne Thomas would only commit to releasing “an exposure draft of the Bill next year”.

Hunting groups have also been told the redrafting of the Wildlife (Game) Regulations 2012, to include mandatory testing of hunters shooting skills, would be postponed until after the election.

The regulations were due to expire in September, but the Government’s Game Policy Unit has emailed deer, duck and shooter groups stating “we are intending on extending the existing regulations for 12 months to allow further policy development to occur”.

Aim true: Hunters will have to prove their proficiency, under reforms that have been delayed until after Victoria’s November state election.

Meanwhile the controversial reform to extinguish the 40ha dwelling rule within 100km of Melbourne appears to be on the backburner, given it was first proposed in the Government’s Planning for Melbourne’s Green Wedges and Agricultural Land paper in 2019.

The move jeopardises the votes of 11 Labor ministers and MPs in the peri-urban and rural zones within 100km of the city, including Lara by John Eren, Bellarine by Lisa Neville, South Barwon by Darren Cheeseman, Buninyong by Michaela Settle, Melton by Stephen John McGhie, Macedon by Mary-Anne Thomas and Yan Yean by Danielle Green, Monbulk by James Merlino and Bass by Jordan Cugnale.

When contacted by The Weekly Times Planning Minister Richard Wynne’s office stated “we are finalising the Green Wedge and Agricultural Land Action Plan and more details will be released in coming months.”

Loss of right: Rural landholders face losing the right to build a house without a planning permit on 40ha or more.

The Government would not reveal if the 40ha dwelling rule would be dumped.

However Mr Wynne did step in last week to dump another government proposal requiring farmers to obtain a permit to build a standard post and wire fence, in large parts of the Bass electorate held by his Labor colleague Jordan Crugnale.

Fence fault: Labor’s Bass MP Jordan Crugnale said a government proposal forcing farmers to gain permits to build a post and wire fence was a drafting error, which was fixed by Planning Minister Richard Wynne.

Other planning controls are still on the agenda, including Bass Coast farmers obtaining permits to cut down shelter belts of non-native trees, plus restrictions on shed construction, which also cover the Bellarine Peninsula.

In the Surf Coast farmers in areas of “significance” will only have to obtain a permit for a post and wire fence if it is higher than 1.5m, to protect the view for tourists.