Victorian council faces criticism, as King Island farms set to secure feed

Meanwhile, the Need for Feed organisation has found success in lining up an alternative port, Welshpool, to ship 500 tonnes of fodder and 200 tonnes of cattle pellets to King Island, Tasmania.

The organisation will ship the fodder and pellets, through Eastern Line Shipping, to King Island farmers on May 18.

It comes after facing challenges securing a port at Apollo Bay, when Colac Otway Shire Council denied the proposal.

The initial shipping company for the feed, Bass Strait Freight (BSF) director David Harris said the council had deemed the port unsuitable for freight.

He said every port they attended has limitations, and it was "untrue" to say the wharf was unable to handle a 250-tonne shipment of hay and fodder.

"The hay is going by Welshpool, there's absolutely no wharf there at all, there's not even a paved roadway to the loading ramp," he said.

"The wharf at Apollo Bay is magnificent, it does require a construction of a roll-on-roll-off ramp and attracts some additional mooring piles.

"This is something we've enunciated from day one."

Colac Otway Shire Council chief executive Anne Howard said the council had never taken the view that the port was unsuitable for freight.

"However some scale of operations may be beyond the capacity of the port and therefore needs very careful consideration," she said.

Ms Howard said there was a technical assessment for a Bass Strait Freight proposal for operations through the port, which identified a "series of risks" to port infrastructure.

She said it included the size of the vessels, the manoeuvring, mooring, and the loading and unloading of freight.

She said the assessment was given to the Tasmanian government on April 24, and explained the council was "not in a position to assist".

"Council recommended that because council was unable to assist until the issues were worked through, that the Tasmanian Government work with existing ports that already have freight moving to King Island, including Port Welshpool," Ms Howard said.

"Council has never walked away from its discussions or attempts to assist the farmers of King Island.

"Council is pleased that this matter has now been resolved."

Need for Feed chair Graham Cockerell said the council failed to support the charity, and instead directed them to the Tasmanian government for assistance.

"When we asked if they could support us or point us in the right direction, they pointed us to the Tasmanian government, so we found that response disappointing," he said.

"We were told it couldn't be done.

"If that's not walking away from it, I don't know what is."

Mr Harris said he believed it "definitely" would have been possible to ship the hay from Apollo Bay for Need for Feed with the current state of the port.

"Definitely, we'd bring the vessel alongside and lift it on with a crane," he said.

Mr Harris said BSF had not seen the cited technical assessment.

"We've never shied away that there needs to be some capital works to develop this project to its potential, this was outlined in our initial approach two years ago," he said.

"There is nothing, absolutely nothing, from a marine safety point of view that can't be managed through the next couple of years to make this work."

He said developing the freight route would bring a macro-effect to the economy of King Island, and Victoria's western district.

The council's decision to block Bass Strait island cattle shipments through Apollo Bay, which is separate to the Need for Feed situation, is currently before the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, TasFarmers president Ian Sauer said Need for Feed's position had been an exceptional circumstance during a "once-in-100-year drought".

"I find it really unprofessional, I find it un-Australian, I find it distasteful that the Colac Otway Shire and the port put media releases out shedding crocodile tears when they have no intention of a boat coming into the port," he said.

"Fodder is very benign, it doesn't go moo, it doesn't go poo, and it doesn't smell.

"Council have not, nor can they, defend their position."

He said despite the current disagreements, there were "two terrific" outcomes, including the charity's success in securing the fodder's shipment to King Island, and the hard work of the parties involved.

"It shouldn't have happened and it did happen, and I think it shows the resolve of the Victorian Government and Tasmanian Government in getting that done," he said.

"The governments should have the power to come into Port Otway and say they are taking over control for two days whilst they get the fodder out."

He said TasFarmers would propose a temporary control policy at an NFF meeting in Canberra next week.

"What's happened at Port Otway is a really good example to show where government's can take over - not forever - but to get a certain job done," he said.

Mr Sauer said the situation was "outrageous", but the news would give some confidence to King Island farmers and Need for Feed.

TasFarmers previously sought government intervention due to the delays at Apollo Bay.

"If the shire truly cared for our country and its farmers, and acted as responsible corporate citizens, we wouldn't be in this situation," he said.

"It is economic and social vandalism."

He said Port Welshpool was now a viable solution, and the Tasmanian government's responsiveness offered King Island farmers some breathing space.

The Tasmanian government did not confirm the correspondence with Colac Otway Shire Council.

"We have been working around the clock to find a resolution for our farmers after the Colac Otway Shire Council pulled out of talks [last week]," Tasmanian premier Jeremy Rockliff said in a statement on May 5.

"Unfortunately, the decision of the Colac council has added additional time and cost to what should have been a simple task, but a commitment to helping our farmers from both Tasmania and the mainland has seen us come to a good solution."

Mr Rockliff said he would like to acknowledge Need for Feed and its volunteers for securing the feed and making the shipment possible.

He said the Tasmanian government extended its sincere thanks to the Port Welshpool operators, Gippsland Ports, TasFarmers, and the Lions Club of King Island.

"For working collaboratively to ensure the much-needed stock is delivered to farmers across King Island," Mr Rockliff said.

"The Tasmanian Government is backing our farmers by covering the costs of shipping this donated feed to King Island."

The cost to ship the feed from Port Welshpool to King Island will be up to $75,000, which the Tasmanian government has said it will pay for.