Zoo shuns livestock producers on FMD risk but public allowed to camp in farmers’ backyards

Daniel Andrews says Victorian zoos’ FMD restrictions are “good to see”, but refuses to ban campers mixing with farmers’ cattle and sheep.

Melbourne Zoo does not want visitors who “live with livestock”, to minimise the risk of a foot and mouth disease outbreak. Picture: David Caird

Farmers and their children, who are in regular contact with livestock, have been told to stay away from Victorian government zoos to minimise the risk of them transmitting foot and mouth disease to zoo animals.

Premier Daniel Andrews has applauded the move, yet has given the public free access to 37 riverside camp sites that have been used by generations of farmers to graze their sheep and cattle.

“It’s a double standard,” Victorian Farmers Federation president Steve Harrison said.

“Farmers and their kids can’t go to the zoo, but the public can walk into their backyard, where we graze our sheep and cattle.”

The state government refuses to ban public camping on farmland, despite supporting city zoos’ telling farmers to stay away for fear of introducing FMD.

The VFF wants a ban on the public camping on and accessing river frontages, given the risk of just one of them returning from overseas with the FMD virus on their shoes or camping gear.

But the government has rejected a ban, with Agriculture Minister Gayle Tierney’s office stating “there are no plans to suspend camping”.

And it appears to be rushing to open up more camp sites to deliver on a 2018 election promise to “guarantee access to fishing and camping on Crown land that has grazing licences and river frontages”.

Gippsland East MP Tim Bull said his electoral office had received reports in May of Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning bureaucrats working on Sundays, in a bid to get as many riverside camp sites assessed and listed as possible before the election.

“DELWP representatives from Cann River conducted assessments in the Bonang district including the Bonang, Bendoc, Deddick and Delegate Rivers,” Mr Bull told parliament in a question on notice.

“Weekend work on a Sunday is typically remunerated at penalty rates.

“Why is this work not restricted to weekdays to considerably reduce taxpayer expense.”

Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio responded to the QON saying “DELWP has recruited additional staff to progress the program and explore potential sites across the state”.

VFF president Emma Germano has written to Minister D’Ambrosio warning “uncontrolled public access to farmland presents the most serious risk to farm biosecurity.

“The most prudent action the government can take given these circumstances is to suspend the ability for the public to access and camp on the licensed crown water frontages that are controlled by primary producers.”

Mr Andrews has told the media it was “good to see the zoo taking this very seriously”.

Zoos Victoria has issued an FMD policy that states: “At the moment we are asking (but not mandating) those who live with livestock, excluding horses, to please delay their visit to the zoo while we work through the expert advice regarding FMD. This request is to protect both your animals and those that live at our zoos.

“If you do choose to visit the zoo, please ensure you don’t wear shoes or clothing that you have worn whilst around livestock.”