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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-05-31 Daily Xml
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Farm Trespassing

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (14:59): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before directing a question to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development regarding farm trespassing by activists.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: At a recent Senate estimates hearing, the Chief Executive of Australian Pork Ltd revealed the alarming extent that animal activists can go to to disrupt their operations. Margo Andrae criticised extremist animal activists for their tactics, which included gaining access to their office by posing as plumbers, harassing her team on social media and via the phone, and taking photos of her team celebrating International Women's Day and posting it to their social media platforms labelling them 'murderers'.

Andrae has strongly voiced that such intimidation, bullying and incursions by activists should be called out and worries for the future of the farming community if those actions aren't addressed. My questions for the minister are:

1. Has the minister consulted with the agricultural industry about farmers' concerns over the extreme actions of animal activists, including harassment and intimidation of staff?

2. What is her government doing to provide assurance to farmers and agricultural businesses to ensure their safety on their own properties and that terrorising from radical animal activists will be dealt with appropriately?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (15:00): After having a quick chat to my colleague the Minister for Primary Industries I am happy to answer those questions and take a fair bit of that on notice, as much of what was referred to are elements of the criminal law: trespass and harassment. I know that there has been work done in this area in relation to trespass in the primary industries setting.

I will have to seek an update as to, if there is further work being done, where that is up to, but I am happy to do so. To the extent that it requires any coordination with other departments, including Environment, and to the extent that primary industries are involved with the criminal law, I will be happy to bring back a reply.

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