![Agriculture Minister Gayle Tierney has been asked to loosen what's been described as "onerous" restrictions around the issuing of roadside grazing permits. Picture supplied Agriculture Minister Gayle Tierney has been asked to loosen what's been described as "onerous" restrictions around the issuing of roadside grazing permits. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/7f5GEYimwWveccZe67yRBS/c8b71ca8-0f81-4265-bce9-72b341eda420.jpg/r0_265_5184_3191_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
A western Victorian Liberal MP has called for a loosening of the requirements for roadside grazing permits, saying they are "burdensome."
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Western Victoria MP Bev McArthur welcomed Corangamite Shire's September 1 opening of its roadside grazing season.
Permits cost a $1 - and include an environmental assessment- to cover insurance.
A council spokesman said about 150-160 permits were usually issued, each year.
The program allows farmers to graze their stock on the roadsides, concurrently eating away the summer fire hazard and feeding hungry animals.
"(But) like most things involving bureaucrats, the permit requirements to undertake roadside grazing are burdensome," Ms McArthur said.
"They simply make it too hard for most councils to bother with.
"And if it's too hard, they don't do it, despite the overwhelming benefits."
She called on Agriculture Minister Gayle Tierney, who also represents western Victoria, to make roadside grazing easier.
"The task would simply require the minister to work with her colleagues in transport, environment and local government portfolios to reduce the administrative burden," Ms McArthur said.
"Not only should it be easier for all councils to implement on local roads, but the minister should extend it, where appropriate, to state-administered roads."
Roadside grass in many areas was thick, tall and "extraordinarily healthy", given the outstanding growing seasons of late, she said.
Corangamite Shire mayor Ruth Gstrein said granting permits was a fairly simple process
Roadside grazing would now be permitted until April 1, next year.
"It's fairly easy, people come in and fill out a form - it's not onerous," Cr Gstrein said.
"It's always been very easy for us to do, it's never been a big issue.
"It has that two-way role in providing livestock with a certain quality of fodder, but it's also reducing the fire risk, particularly over the fire season."
She said there were some protected vegetation areas and landholders should talk to the council's environment team, if they were unsure.
"We limit it to that summer season, when it is obviously a lot drier, so we don't get a lot of pugging, mud and erosion, you get in the winter time."
She encouraged farmers not just to put up roadside fencing, then fail to use the area for grazing.
The council's Community Safety and Resilience coordinator Belinda Bennett said council officers would determine the suitability of the road for grazing, which was not permitted in high conservation areas.
"Stock are only allowed to graze on roadsides during daylight and owners are required to put up a temporary electric fence for safety," she said.
Ms Bennett said roadside grazing season was also a good reminder for landholders to check their boundary fences to ensure the livestock were contained to their property.
"Wandering livestock can pose a significant risk to road users," she said.
"Under the local laws, landholders must ensure that fences are adequate to prevent the escape of livestock and must not allow livestock to wander on a road."
Moyne Shire deputy mayor Daniel Meade said while there were some areas where roadside grazing was not allowed, the council was very supportive of the practice.
"We maintain our roadside permits for adjoining landholders to fence off their land between the boundary and the road, we encourage them, as a matter of fact," he said.
"It's a $10 fee to apply for one of those permits.
"The more farmers can benefit from that feed, that grows on the side of the roads, the better."
Moyne had issues with the state government, two and a half years ago, when a NSW drover tried to graze cattle over a wide area of roadside in the shire.
Cr Meade said the council tried to make it as easy as it could for local graziers to get permits.
"We could definitely have more, there is feed going to waste, so we could encourage more, for sure," he said.
Cr Meade said landholders should be aware they couldn't graze stock in areas where there were high value grasses.
"That can delay, or prevent, permits being issued if the state government has highlighted grasses in those areas," he said.
CFA District Five Commander David Ferguson said burning roadside vegetation was also a viable option.
"It really is valuable, in a number of cases," Mr Ferguson said.
"It certainly does reduce fuel, so it gets rid of that grass, it helps in regeneration of native species, such as kangaroo grass, and we know that a lot of remnant grassland vegetation remains in those roadside reserves.
"It is good skills maintenance and practice for crews, they are operating around smoke and fire and controlled use of communications, so it is quite important for that."
It showed brigades were out in the community and provided a fire break, he said.
"There is potential for the fire to be held and stopped from escaping over the road," he said.
It could also provide a clear area, off the road, for drivers.
"That's not to preclude grazing, that is the remit of the shires to manage that - but we would support any sort of fuel reduction on roadsides."
A state government spokeswoman said safety was at the forefront of every decision, made around Victoria's roads - that extended to managing roadsides.
"Applications for roadside grazing are assessed on a case-by-case basis, with considerations around the safety of both road users and livestock playing a major role in determining the outcome," the spokeswoman said.
Applications regarding the arterial road network are referred to the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) for response.
DTP considered each application with respect to the safety and function of the road reserve, safety of road users and the livestock, traffic management and environmental impacts.
Applications to graze the road reserve for the sole purpose of fuel reduction - and in accordance with an approved Municipal Emergency Management Plan - were assessed on the basis of the benefits of fuel reduction, in addition to the requirements for road safety and function.