On Monday September 23, Victorian Farmers Federation chief executive Stephen Sheridan, United Dairyfarmers of Victoria president Paul Mumford and I represented Victorian farmers at the Inquiry into the Impact of Animal Activism on Victorian Agriculture in Parliament House.
The key issue being dealt with by this inquiry is the impact of farm invasions on our farming families.
We need the parliament to fix our broken legal system that does nothing to punish and deter farm home invaders.
By their own admission, activists wilfully defy the law without fear of consequences.
They continue to invade family farms and even repeatedly attack the same farm over a series of weeks.
We called for tougher farm trespass penalties, similar to other states, which would see $1000 on-the-spot fines, $220,000 fines for individuals and $400,000 fines for organisations.
We also called for a ban on activists using crowdfunding websites and services to help them pay fines and legal representation.
In what world do we accept 70 people forcefully entering a property, intimidating the owners and staff, and then removing property from that location?
Would we accept this if it happened in a nursing home, a hospital, a school, or a restaurant?
This form of invasion and attack would be unacceptable in any other workplace or home, and it cannot be accepted on farms.
I know that farmers feel the current system is failing to protect their families and their homes.
Having heard many shocking stories from our farming families over the inquiry and our presentation on Monday, I believe the VFF has left no doubt in the minds of the Parliamentary Committee members that we need tougher laws.
