You may recall an article recently published across several media outlets about farmers' concerns with trespass.
As reported in The Guardian June 2020, the article’s co-author Alistair Harkness surveyed Victorian farmers in 2015 and 2016 about their experiences and perceptions of farm crime. Farmers reported that in recent years, illegal hunters had caused them economic loss and emotional anguish by:
damaging fences
shooting at buildings, beehives and livestock
stealing from sheds
failing to extinguish campfires
destroying fields with their vehicles.
A follow-up mail survey of 906 Victorian farmers in 2017 and 2018 asked them to rate the seriousness of a range of issues. Farmers reported the following issues as either serious or very serious: illegal shooting on farms (34.4%), animal activism (30.9%), and trespass (44.2%).
A valid question has now been raised in Parliament by Andy Meddick MP, addressed to the Minister for Regional Development: "In relation to recently published statistics that indicate farmers are more concerned with shooters trespassing on their land than animal activists: What social and economic impact studies, other than a survey of shooters, will the Minister rely on in her future considerations of duck shooting?"
We look forward to the response which we will share with you.
Miss the last update of Ministers questions and answers? Just click here; https://www.regionalvictoriansotds.com/post-1/more-ministers-responses
Picture Australian White Ibis (aka "Farmer's friends") courtesy Eleanor Dilley
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