Minister for Agriculture David Littleproud has again called on animal activist group Aussie Farms to pull down its map of Australian farms after a business on the map was broken into.
“I said the Aussie Farms map was an attack map for activists and I was right,” Minister Littleproud said.
“A piggery on the map has now been broken into by animal activists who have broadcast their illegal activities on Facebook.
“The safety of farming families and their children is at risk here.
“If this activist attack map remains online, I fear someone will be seriously hurt or worse.
“Nobody would like their family home address being broadcast to the world and especially not next to information which is wrong in many cases.
“I think the truth is the Aussie Farms organisation know full well their map is being used to plan attacks on farming family businesses and they’re fine with that.
“They’ve lost sight of their cause and lost community support and must stop intimidating farming families.
“Aussie Farms should stop being so wreckless and pull the farm map down before someone is killed.
“Bill Shorten must condemn this group and this map. Bill Shorten must call this out before the worst happens. Labor voting against drought support is one thing but saying nothing about a map which displays the addresses of Australian farming families – often with incorrect information about the farm – is something else.
“Following a recent Queensland case in which a trespassing animal activist got a $350 fine for her third offence, I also call on the states to beef up their trespass laws.”
WAFarmers welcomes action, plans “calm the farm” meeting
The West Australian reported today that the vegan activist James Warden who livestreamed to Facebook from the Pinjarra piggery on Sunday night, and who was responsible for a string of anti-meat protests in WA in recent months, has been charged with trespass.
The report said WA police had arrested a 25-year-old man early this morning when a search warrant was executed at his home, and he had been charged with two counts of trespass, which included another incident in Mundijong on February 6.
In a statement released this afternoon WAFarmers said it was pleased Western Australian authorities had taken appropriate action over extreme behaviour by animal activists.
WAFarmers President Tony York said it was good to know trespass laws in Western Australia were applicable.
“We hope that this will deter further brazen attacks on farming businesses,” he said.
“We are supportive of the law taking control over these situations and are encouraging our members and the wider agriculture community to remain calm and call the police if they become aware of any alarming behaviour on their properties by activists.
“This action by authorities should give farmers confidence to go about their daily business without interference, knowing the law can be applied and used to protect businesses, homes and families against extreme activist behaviour.
“The agricultural industry has been lobbying State and Federal politicians in recent weeks to help stamp out this type of activist activity.
“Australian farmers want to be world class leaders in food production and the recent spate of activist attacks is very unwarranted.”
WAFarmers will be holding a ‘calm the farm’ meeting in Harvey in the South West on Thursday night, to discuss ways to deal with activists and to make farmers aware of their rights. This meeting is open to all farmers. Media is welcome to attend the barbecue before the meeting and stay after the meeting to speak with farmers and WAFarmers representatives.
Source: Minister for Agriculture, WA Farmers
These animal activists come onto farms with the most radical of intentions. They have no consideration for the farmers, who are left with a feeling of having their personal space invaded. Last week my friend was driving out on her private road to go into town and she came across a woman she had never seen before. The woman was riding a bike and had a camera around her neck. Jenny asked her what she was doing and she said she was going for a ride. Jenny said, “this is private property. ” She said it wasn’t. This woman had the attitude that she was had every right to be there. In the end Jenny had to pull the car around in front of her because she was so determined. A couple of days later Our neighbour was inundated by people with cameras on tripods who were taking photos of the dead European carp in his small lake at his house which is usually fed by a creek. It had dried up in the drought. European carp are one of the most dangerous fish we could have in the Murray. They are an ecological disaster and I would say that the vast majority of the dead fish in the Murrray Darling Basin were E. Carp and good riddance to them. These people are so incredibly ignorant and psychologically suspect. I was the next one to be hit. They came up from the river with the intention of taking photos. We sold off our stock because of the drought. We are retired and only have a few cows and calves now anyway, but I have two thoroughbreds. They would have known they were alive when my super fast mare came hurtling towards them kicking out at them and I suspect that they blocked themselves by swinging the gate around and the horses went through. We were woken at about 6.00 a.m. by our dogs and my husband went out to find the horses were out. If the horses had jumped the cattle grid they would have soon been on the main road which is very busy and a dreadful accident could have occurred, involving cars and horses. While we were busy catching the horses ,and discovering how they got out, they had disappeared back over the high bank of the river. These intruders were not after what we had in the sheds as they had not been around the sheds, nor had they tried to break into our sheds which are huge and would been the subject of a burglar. Their was no evidence of them entering our property by car and the walk from the cattle grid, past the dogs and over to where they let the horses out is quite a long walk and the dogs would have started to bark before they crossed the cattle grid. There is no doubt that these three encounters were animal activists, as never before has this sort of thing happened in such quick succession.
These people must be stopped . It is only a matter of time before their actions cause a death or several deaths. Who do they think they are coming on to our land and compromising our animals? What about our children, a child molester could look at that map and go eenie meenie minie mo…oh yeh kids might be getting off the school bus there . I’ll give that a go …or that !!!
What on earth is happening to this country ?
LynneV. Riley.