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Poultry Industry Calendar of Events
2019
SEP 10-11 – Ideas Exchange 2019, Sydney NSW www.poultryhub.org/ ideas-exchange-conference-2019
SEP 16-20 –World Veterinary Poultry Association Congress, Bangkok, Thailand www.wvpac2019.com
SEP 17 – Poultry Meat Conference Northamptonshire, UK www. poultryconference.com/PMC/Default. aspx
SEP 20 – Judging – Royal Melbourne Poultry Show, The Grand Pavilion, Melbourne, VIC www.rasv.com.au/ royal-melbourne-poultry-show
OCT 23-25 – European Symposium on Poultry Genetics, Prague, Czech Republic www.espg2019.org
NOV 3-4 – Egg and Poultry Industry Conference, Celtic Manor, Usk, Wales www.epiconference.co.uk
NOV 5-7 – Poultry Tech Summit, Atlanta, US www.wattglobalmedia. com/poultrytechsummit
2020
MAY 17-19 – PIX/AMC, Gold Coast www.pixamc.com.au
How to supply event details: Send all details to National Poultry Newspaper, PO Box 387, Cleveland, Qld 4163, call 07 3286 1833 fax: 07 3821 2637, email: design@poultrynews.com.au
poultrynews.com.au
07 3286 1833
Bipartisan solution needed for animal activists
FOLLOWING months of coordinated activist attacks on Queensland’s intensive animal farm- ers, the state government amended regulations un- der the Biosecurity Act to allow the Queensland Police Service and bio- security officers to is- sue on the spot fines of $652.75 to people who put on-farm biosecurity at risk.
These cumulative fines came into effect on April 26, 2019 and at the time, QFF commented this was a step in the right direc- tion but it remained to be seen whether this would prove to be an effective deterrent to the more ex- treme and radical actions occurring.
While it has dampened the actions of some ac- tivists, it has not been enough to deter the more committed activists.
On May 1, 2019, the LNP Opposition intro- duced a private members bill that proposes three new offences: aggravated trespass with a maximum penalty of $13,055 fine or three-years imprison- ment; and serious crimi- nal trespass and organised trespass which would both attract a maximum pen- alty $391,650 or 10-years imprisonment.
The bill is currently be- ing considered by the rel- evant Parliamentary com- mittee.
On August 22, 2019, the state government intro- duced new legislation that proposes greater penalties for those trespassing on farmland.
The Agriculture and Other Legislation Amend- ment Bill amends 17 Acts and four Regulations, including increasing the maximum penalty for un- lawfully entering farm- land to a fine of $2,669 or one year in jail – stand- ardising these penalties
with those for general trespass.
The bill also broadens the range of land uses covered by the offence to include more purposes re- lated to agriculture, agri- cultural food production and animal keeping.
Other amendments have the effect of increasing the maximum penalty for non-compliance with a biosecurity management plan to $66,725 or more.
Besides being a personal intrusion for most farmers (with their business also their home), biosecurity risks set agriculture apart from other legitimate businesses when it comes to trespass.
For example, to enter onto a meat chicken farm, visitors must sign a decla- ration that they have not had contact with any other poultry animals, poultry biologicals or pigs within
a minimum 24-hour pe- riod.
Visitors are also re- quired to walk through biosecurity foot baths and sanitise hands, vehicles, tools and equipment be- fore entering sheds and can only enter poultry sites in a strict supply chain order.
Animal activists show no understanding or re- spect for strict biosecurity protocols such as these that protect farming busi- nesses, industries and food security, even though everyone has a general biosecurity obligation.
The current offence of unlawfully entering farm- ing land and property does not meet the expec- tations of farmers and the community in punishing and preventing future offences of trespass on farms and does not reflect the potential risk to farm-
ing businesses.
The law is the product
of the social conditions at the time it is made, it is not static and should change to respond to the current social and politi- cal values of a commu- nity.
With both major parties recognising that the cur- rent laws on this issue are no longer fit-for-purpose and putting forward vari- ous ideas to curb the ac- tions of a minority ele- ment of the community, the Parliament must now do its job and deliver the right laws for today in the interests of realising a properly functioning so- ciety.
A bipartisan approach to getting the right balance of ideas would also realise the greatest acceptance from the community for the changes made.
by TRAVIS TOBIN CEO
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