'Totally incompetent': Concerns on government department's welfare actions

Colac district residents have voiced their concerns about a Victorian government department's "failure to act" on animal cruelty allegations raised at least five years ago.

Stock & Land has seen correspondence between a number of residents and state government departments dating back to 2019 but the responsible department - Agriculture Victoria - has remained tight-lipped on their involvement.

The communication involves concerns about animal welfare at a Colac district property, including starving cattle and dead livestock in waterways.

The reports led to an ongoing investigation, which was reported by Stock & Land in February this year, and in August and September 2023.

Stock & Land has contacted Agriculture Victoria on 11 separate occasions across eight months to better understand the situation.

The department has responded with the same holding lines on three occasions.

In more-recent months, after a notice to seize cattle was issued, it said it would be inappropriate to comment on an ongoing investigation.

"We take animal welfare very seriously and respond to all allegations received," a spokesperson said in August, October and November 2023.

"Anyone wishing to make a specific complaint can contact Agriculture Victoria."

One concerned community member emailed the Environment Protection Authority eight times with photos and location pinpoints relating to deceased cattle in waterways.

An EPA spokesperson confirmed the correspondence, and said it had received a pollution report about improper disposal of deceased cattle near a waterway.

"In response, EPA visited the adjacent properties and provided guidance on proper waste disposal," the spokesperson said.

"The farmer subsequently removed the waste."

The resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said there were still a "number of bodies" present at the lake, and they had guided the EPA in-person to the dead livestock.

EPA confirmed it had contacted the "relevant animal health and welfare team for investigation" at the time, which was Agriculture Victoria, and there had been no further reports to the EPA on the issue.

The resident said they contacted Agriculture Victoria before the EPA, and Parks Victoria, after noticing bones on lake frontages and more than 20 bodies.

They said there were supposedly more than 350 cattle deaths at the property known to the department.

Correspondence between another resident and the department shows concerns were raised about animals stuck in lake frontage, both dead and in "poor condition", back in April 2019.

The person later claimed an Agriculture Victoria officer attended but did not carry out his responsibilities correctly, which the department denied.

Another resident, who also wished to remain anonymous, said the department was "totally incompetent" and their response to reports of animal cruelty was "beyond belief".

"Each time we make contact we're told 'it's confidential', yet it appears nothing is done," they said.

"How many animals have to die before people are actually prosecuted?"

Another resident said they had "called every department known to man and no one wants to take it on".

Animal Liberation campaign regional manager Lisa Ryan said the broad public were appalled when confronted with animal suffering.

"From our experience, the process of lodging legitimate complaints and how they are investigated and the outcomes continues to be shielded in secrecy, inadequate transparency and a good level of public frustration," Ms Ryan said.

She said Animal Liberation had previously compiled and lodged a comprehensive complaint in a separate case - with footage - but were "refused access" to the nature of the investigation, and the outcome of any penalties.

"Even after submitting and paying for a Freedom of Information application, all we received in return was 73 pages of heavily-redacted information which was basically copies of our own complaint and some referral emails," she said.

In February this year Warrnambool magistrate Gerard Lethbridge questioned why it took government officials six weeks to attend a Cape Bridgewater property, where concerns had been raised about mass koala killings.

A concerned worker first called Wildlife Victoria and RSPCA on December 17, 2019, but Department of Land, Water and Planning (now Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action) authorities did not attend until January 29 the following year.

"It must have been something that struck somebody as being fairly urgent... and yet nothing happens for at least six weeks," Mr Lethbridge said in Warrnambool Magistrates Court.

When asked about the delay, Agriculture Victoria said response teams had been deployed to the Black Summer bushfire emergency across Victoria.

Stock & Land asked the department on March 15 about its investigation processes, including detailed questions about its response times, policies, procedures and visitations.

A spokesperson said Agriculture Victoria conducted all investigations under an agreed regulatory approach.

"We apply our compliance policy in a consistent and transparent manner, using risk-based principles and a proportionate response to non-compliance," it said.

"From 2019-2023, the department received more than 6400 animal welfare complaints, and from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2023, the department prosecuted 55 cases, resulting in convictions or findings of guilt in respect of 406 charges."

Have any information? Email Rachel Simmonds at rachel.simmonds@stockandland.com.au.