UPDATED 6pm: NEW measures are on the way to help protect NSW farmers from trespassers and biosecurity risks, NSW Primary Industries Minister Katrina Hodgkinson announced at the Farm Writers Christmas lunch on Tuesday.
The new Farm Trespass Policy will permit co-ordinated efforts from government and police targeting high-risk farms, new prosecution guidelines to support existing trespass laws and collaboration with industry to develop strategies for landholder surveillance.
Proposed new laws would support the prosecution people who deliberately and knowingly create biosecurity risks, backed by significant criminal penalties.
The NSW Biosecurity Bill was introduced in November, but was not debated before the summer break and will have to wait until 2015 before it can move through Parliament. The new compliance measures, including maximum fines for trespass and biosecurity offences, are yet to be determined.
Under the proposed NSW Biosecurity Bill a general biosecurity obligation would apply, and include enhanced roles for industry and the community in preventing, managing and minimising pests, diseases, weeds and contaminants.
Failing to discharge a biosecurity duty will be an offence under the proposed legislation and penalties of up to $1,100,000 or three years imprisonment or both are proposed for the most serious offence (see Part 18 Offences and Criminal Proceedings, page 92 of the proposed Biosecurity Bill for a list of proposed penalties).
The Bill will be backed by community awareness campaign to raise awareness of animal husbandry practices and educate the public about the economic, biosecurity and animal welfare implications of on-farm trespass.
Producers will also be encouraged to be proactive in deterring intruders, with owner-initiated surveillance cameras, signage and fencing.
Stakeholders on board
Ms Hodgkinson has repeatedly slammed animal activists for risking the health of the very animals they are supposed to be helping, calling them "vigilantes".
She said people who enter farms without the knowledge of the risk of introducing and spreading disease are potentially putting at risk both the welfare of farmed animals and the livelihood of industries underpinning regional economies.
“The (NSW Coalition) has been working alongside our farmers, the police and RSPCA NSW to develop a comprehensive cross-agency policy to address the issue of farm trespass,” Ms Hodgkinson said.
“To break and enter is a crime and all NSW residents have the right to be protected against unauthorised persons sneaking around their home, their shed or their backyard.”
Ms Hodgkinson said illegal entry onto farms presented a major biosecurity risk to NSW's $12 billion primary industries sector, and stakeholder groups welcomed the announcement.
“A farmer in Tamworth has the same right to expect the law to protect him from illegal trespass as a family in Turramurra,” said NSW Farmers’ Egg Committee chairman Bede Burke.
RSCPA NSW chief executive officer Steve Coleman - who has previously spoken out against animal rights activists for clouding community perception and harming the RSPCA's hard-earned reputation - said people needed to take their concerns to authorities and not act on their own.
“If people have legitimate animal welfare concerns they should contact the RSPCA NSW, NSW Police or the Animal Welfare League NSW and they will investigate them, as the independent enforcement agencies for the Prevention of Cruelty Against Animals Act," Mr Coleman said.
NSW Farmers’ president Fiona Simson said biosecurity was integral to agriculture and a breach could shut the industry down. "Any measures that strengthen this system will always be endorsed by farmers," she said.
"If you trespass on an intensive farming property, you are risking the safety of our food and creating distress for our animals. I hope this sends a clear signal to activists out there who are thinking of breaking into biosecurity zones."
NSW Farmers planned to continue their close consultation with the government on the passage of the Bill in 2015, Ms Simson said.
Australian Pork Limited chief executive officer Andrew Spencer said the new measures would "clearly support improved awareness and understanding along with more robust compliance and enforcement across the community”.
Australian Lot Feeders’ Association chief executive officer Dougal Gordon said ALFA was pleased to support the Farm Trespass Policy. “Whilst we are also proud of our transparency, systems and people – and are happy to have people enter feedlots via the front door – we do not support people trespassing,” he said.
