Farmers Must Be Protected from Fake Activists
Farmers rights must be protected and we want to cut down the business model of fake activists attacking agriculture.
Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party MLC Robert Borsak called on the National Party to support the Animal Protection and Crimes Legislation Amendment (Reporting Animal Cruelty and Protection of Animal Enterprises) Bill 2017.
Mr Borsak made his announcement during a cattle sale at Cowra Regional Livestock Selling Centre.
The bill has two aims:
- amend the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 to require recorded acts of serious animal cruelty to be reported to authorities, and
- amend the Crimes Act 1900 to prohibit persons interfering with, or engaging in certain other conduct against, the carrying on of lawful animal-related enterprises.
“I want the National Party to work with us to protect farmers’ rights to farm, but I doubt they will be able to stand up to the Liberal Party,” Mr Borsak said.
“The Nationals just do whatever the city Liberal Party tells them to do, and the Liberals are moving closer to the Greens and Animal Justice Party. Just look at their attempt to ban the greyhound industry.
“On September 14 I introduced a bill to protect agriculture from malicious interference by so-called fake activists trying to prove a point at the expense of Aussie farmers.
“Firstly, my bill will stop the business model used by so-called animal rights activists by making it illegal to not provide any evidence of serious animal cruelty to authorities.
“Rather than putting footage online or in the news to solicit donations, it should go straight to authorities for investigation if the content is legitimate.
“Secondly, my bill will make it a crime to interfere with any lawful animal-related enterprises, because our farmers need to be able to do what they do best without being rubbished in the press."
Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party Cootamundra by-election candidate Matthew Stadtmiller said that this bill addresses top concerns for farmers.
“When I speak with farmers they have three main concerns,” Mr Stadtmiller said.
“Firstly, they want decent weather; secondly, they want a fair price for what they produce; and thirdly, they want to stop the threat of people trying to rubbish their industry.
“Livestock agriculture is a major industry in my electorate and we must protect it.”
