Beverley McArthur MP
Member for Western Victoria Region
Media Statement
ANIMAL ACTIVISM OR AGENT PROVACATOURS
Upper House Member for Western Victoria Region, Bev McArthur used the Adjournment Debate in Parliament to call on the Minister for Agriculture, Jaclyn Symes to:
‘publicly condemn the actions of Aussie Farms; call for their charity status to be revoked by the Commonwealth government; and require her colleagues to strengthen trespass laws to protect the Victorian farmers that she is supposed to represent.’
Bev McArthur said that the Aussie Farms ideologues who created an online map publishing the addresses of 395 agricultural livestock businesses in Western Victoria Region have set out to ‘encourage public intrusion into farming enterprises thereby jeopardising legitimate agricultural operations and animal safety.’
Aussie Farms’ clearly intend to encourage unlawful activity - Their registration form asks volunteers to:
a) enter private commercial properties for investigative purposes
b) do anything asked of them
‘This so called charity is clearly more interested in causing militant behaviour against farmers than protecting animal welfare. Their real agenda is clearly to end the animal meat and dairy production industries that have made the Western Region and in deed this nation, one of the most highly regarded farming regions and nations of the world.’
‘The recent theft of three goats and a lamb by 70 activists in Gippsland in mid-December resulted in stolen animals were found by police and returned to the owner.’ ‘Imagine the trauma caused to grazing animals being bundled into a car, placed in a house and then forced to wear nappies. How is this about animal welfare?’
‘What hypocrisy but typical of extreme ideologies.’ ‘Any group prepared to jeopardise animals’ lives to prosecute their own radical agenda should be roundly condemned and have the full force of the law served on any of their illegal activities.’
6 February 2019