Published since 1986
JUNE, 2021
www.farmernews.com.au
New outlook on life for Jon PAGE 4
Exciting times for beef future PAGE 9
PARLIAMENT HOUSE CLARA McCormack on Rocky on the steps of Parliament, beside Charlie Lovick as he addresses the crowd at a rally on Wednesday, May 5 calling for a moratorium on culling brumbies in Victoria. Several hundred people presented Liberal leader Michael O’Brien a petition to be passed on to the government. Turn to pages 6 and 7 for the story.
Koala program at Cape Otway PAGE 13
Stand up and be heard By EMMA OLIVER NUMEROUS local community groups have added their voice to growing concern regarding impending legislation allowing camping on licensed river frontage. As of September 1, camping on licensed riverfront will become a legal right, after amendments to the Lands Act 1958 were passed in the Upper House of State Parliament in November. Currently the 32
Mounting concern in regional Victoria over crown land legislation pages of regulations governing the legislation are under development, with amendments to the legislation being considered by the Lower House. With the lower and upper house meeting on Tuesday, May 25 concerned community members from across the North East organised a rally to take place on the steps of Parliament House opposing
the legislation. From Landcare to landholders, from fly fishermen to community action groups and retirees on their dream block, this city-centric legislation impacts more than the agricultural community with their grazing licences, and so at Parliament House on Tuesday, regional Victoria went to have their voice heard, and ultimately to be seen.
Belinda Pearce, a beef farmer from Kergunyah with a grazing licence for the Kiewa River, is one of the organisers of the demonstration, along with friend and fellow beef farmer Judy Cardwell, who is based at Mitta Mitta. “We’re just individual people who are concerned regarding the implications of these laws,” Ms Pearce said. “We’re not a particular
group with specific affiliations. “We all have different concerns and our placards on the day represented this, however, to all of us - regardless of our motivation - this legislation is wrong on so many levels.” The groundswell of support for the rally was heartening for both Belinda and Judy, who were overwhelmed with
enquiries and quickly filled a 48 seater bus with people from the North East keen to vocalise their concern. Looking to arrange a second bus, queries started coming from across the state, with people intent on attending the demonstration. “The date of the rally was a strategic choice due to both houses of parliament sitting,” Ms Pearce said. ■ Continued pages 2-3
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