Put DELWP Regulations Out To Pasture
Western Victoria MP Bev McArthur called on the State Government to repeal their regulations that prevent roadside grazing in Victoria.
In March 2020, former Minister for Agriculture, The Hon. Jaclyn Symes, told Mrs McArthur that state roads “are generally not considered appropriate for roadside grazing due to safety issues” and “DELWP acts in an advisory capacity to local government” with regard to roadside grazing.
Mrs McArthur said, “Clearly, this ‘advisory capacity’ is far more peremptory than the former Minister made out.”
Moyne Shire Mayor Daniel Meade recently stated that “the regulations by DELWP are completely unrealistic” and that this forced Moyne Shire to “go above them and straight to the Federal Minister for Environment to seek a common-sense solution” to government obstruction of roadside grazing.
Mrs McArthur said, “Droving on roadsides provides innumerable benefits to rural communities, all of which I have raised in this House on many occasions.”
“Providing relief to drought-stricken livestock is among the most important, as well as reducing the fuel loads on roadsides that poses a fire risk.”
“Unfortunately, the state and federal governments impede the ability of communities to reap these benefits.”
“DELWP requires written approvals, grazing management plans, site diagrams and a range of other red tape that makes life impossible for drovers, stock owners and local government instrumentalities.”
“For the former Minister to suggest that state roads are inappropriate for roadside grazing, is to essentially oppose it entirely.”
“When John Wilson visited Moyne Shire to drove drought-stricken cattle from New South Wales on roadsides, Victorian Government Departments insisted that doing so on state roads was illegal. John could not simply continue to drove the cattle on council roads because he had to continually travel on state roads to reach the next area.”
“Prohibiting roadside grazing on state roads makes it entirely unfeasible.”
“It is shameful that this is the position of the Labor Government because it endangers rural communities by allowing unmanaged fuel loads on roadsides to continue to grow.”
5 March 2021