Victorian farmers fear power push from environmentalists

Victorian farmers have called on the state government to oppose recommendations that dingoes be released on public land.

Victorian farmers are in “uproar” over concerns the state government could agree to a recommendation that dingoes be released on public land.
An upper house committee recently called for the release as part of a 780-page report that also recommended the protection, under law, of dingoes and wild dogs and for the responsibility for managing invasive species to be taken away from the Agriculture Minister and given to the environmental department to “ensure its focus is on preserving biodiversity values as opposed to facilitating Victorian agriculture”.

The Ecosystem Decline in Victoria committee inquiry — whose members include Animal Justice MP Andy Meddick — also calls for 1080 poisoning to be stopped, and for the state to walk away from kangaroo permit culling and harvesting.

Farmers fear the recommendations could lead to a seismic shift in the Victorian Government’s approach where the impact on rural communities, agricultural and other industries is placed secondary to environmental goals.

The inquiry specifically calls for an agency to be given control, which had a “more holistic view of environmental and ecosystem protection”.

According to Western District sheep producer John Crawford, “there will be an uproar, across the state of Victoria, over this”.

“Rural people have had enough, people in the bush are sick of being totally regulated by a group of inner-city Melbourne people and their one-sided views, while our views and practical experiences are ignored,” said Mr Crawford, of Victoria Valley

Mr Crawford and wife Rhonda led a campaign against the introduction of dingoes — in order to help deal with feral animals in the Grampians National Park (Gariwerd) — last year.

Parks Victoria late last month backed away from immediate plans to bring the apex predator into the park.

At the time, a Parks spokesman said while moves to bring in dingoes would no go ahead immediately, there was a longer-term strategy to “build understanding” about the role of dingoes between the community and traditional owners. The ABC reported a Parks spokesman as saying dingoes may be introduced at “some stage in the future”.

In response to the latest recommendations, the Crawfords, who run Merino sheep on their farm neighbouring the Grampians, have launched a statewide petition.

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Merino stud breeder John Crawford at his property in Victoria Valley, near Dunkeld, says rural people are ‘jumping mad’ about city-controlled governments forcing bad policy on rural people.

Mr Crawford said hard copies of the petition would be available at saleyards, roadhouses and in sports stores across country Victoria.

An earlier petition ran by the Crawfords opposing the introduction of dingoes into the Grampians garnered more than 4000 signatures.

Victorian Farmers Federation livestock president Steve Harrison said the inquiry’s recommendations were “ridiculous”. He said only areas like Wilsons Promontory National Park were suited to the introduction of dingoes where “at least they could be fenced in”.

VFF North East Livestock councillor Peter Star said the federation was very concerned the recommendations could be adopted.

“The way the inquiry deals with dingoes is a very one-sided opinion; it is not balanced research,” Mr Star said.

“At the moment the inquiry is just findings and recommendations from one group of parliamentarians, but the VFF is concerned that they could be adopted.

“At the moment, its not binding, but it is a document that is on the table that could be used by crossbenchers who have support the government on other controversial policies and who then might be looking for payback in return. That is the scary part.”

A spokeswoman for the Victorian government said “further discussions with Traditional Owners, farmers and other land managers are needed before any proposal to reintroduce dingoes to control foxes, feral cats and rabbits could be considered”.

“The government will respond to the inquiry’s recommendations in due course.”